Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has made his first significant decision since returning to office, ordering the immediate dissolution of the Rivers State Pensions Board.
The announcement was made on Friday evening by the stateโs Head of Service, Mrs Inyingi Brown. A special government statement directed that the boardโs duties will now be temporarily handled by the office of the State Accountant General.
This move is seen as Governor Fubaraโs first major action since President Bola Tinubu reinstated him on 18 September, following a period of political uncertainty in the state.
According to the announcement, members of the now-dissolved board have been instructed to hand over all government property and assets in their possession to the boardโs Director of Administration. The statement did not give a reason for the sudden dissolution.
The governorโs office confirmed that a new board to manage pension affairs will be appointed โin due course.โ For now, the Accountant Generalโs office will take over the boardโs responsibilities to ensure pension payments and services continue without interruption.
The Pensions Board is a key government body responsible for managing the retirement benefits of state civil servants. Its sudden dissolution has drawn attention as a clear sign of Governor Fubaraโs intentions after his reinstatement.
Political observers in the state will be watching closely to see if this decision signals the start of a wider reshuffle or change in policy direction for the state government. The lack of a stated reason for the dissolution is likely to lead to speculation about the governorโs motives.
For now, the governmentโs focus appears to be on ensuring a smooth transition. The directive to hand over all assets suggests an effort to maintain control and accountability during the changeover. Pensioners in the state will be hoping the temporary arrangement runs smoothly until a new board is put in place.
Discussion about this post