Fubara
Fubara Dissolves Rivers Pensions Board Amid Uncertainty
Olarinde Idowu
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has dissolved the Rivers State Pensions Board with immediate effect, effective September 26, 2025. The Office of the Accountant General will handle the board’s functions until a new one is constituted. This decision was announced by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Inyingi Brown, in a special government statement.
The dissolved board was inaugurated by former Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas just six days before leaving office on September 12, 2025. Members of the defunct board have been directed to hand over all properties and assets to the Director of Administration of the pensions office without delay.
This move has raised concerns about potential delays in pension payments and management of the state’s pension affairs. Over 2,000 retirees were awaiting payments in Q3 2025 due to delayed verifications, and the state’s pension system faces challenges with N50 billion in backlogs since 2015.
Governor Fubara’s decision is seen as a step to reshape the state’s bureaucracy and address inefficiencies in the pension system, aligning with his vow for “transparent governance” after his reinstatement by President Bola Tinubu on September 18, 2025. The governor has assured that a new board will be constituted in due course to manage the state’s pension affairs.
The dissolution has sparked reactions, with some viewing it as a bold step towards reforming the pension system, while others see it as a potential power play. The move underscores Fubara’s consolidation of power after a turbulent half-year and may signal broader administrative changes in the state.
