The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme has applauded the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for prioritising pension-related issues in the country.
Ejikeme, who gave kudos to the president on Wednesday, in Calabar, Cross River State, while delivering her address at the PTAD stakeholders’ forum for the South-south region, said from available facts, the Buhari-led administration had made payment of pensions an un-written first line charge.
She tasked whoever would succeed Buhari to also be favourably disposed to issues related to pensions.
Ejikeme said controls and processes that had been put in place since the establishment of PTAD have contributed immensely to the change being witnessed in the management of the Defined Benefits Pension scheme.
“Our journey from field verifications, mobile verifications to putting together a solid database of pensioners, benefit computation, ensuring the regular payment of monthly pensions and paying long overdue pension arrears to pensioners have been a progressive one filled with creativity, dedication, commitment, persistence and milestone achievements.
“Since our last stakeholders’ forum for the south-south region held in Uyo, PTAD has carried out a series of activities which include, Completion of the payment of arrears arising as a result of the consequential adjustment to pensions as a result of the increase in minimum wage of April 2019, to the four operational departments in the Directorate.
“Complete liquidation of the 126 months outstanding liabilities due to Ex-workers of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation; complete payment of the 219 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of New Nigeria Newspaper Limited; and complete payment of the 100 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of NICON Insurance.”
She listed others to include the complete payment of the 96 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of Delta Steel Company (DSC).
Speaking on the activities of PTAP, the Executive Secretary said: “We have implemented the 9.7 per cent increment to Ex-PHCN workers with attendant
arrears paid, we have paid part-payment of the arrears owed NITEL/MTEL pensioners. Two weeks ago, we paid another 15 months arrears to 5,907 pensioners out of the outstanding 63 months of the inherited unfunded pension liabilities.
“The remaining half of the NITEL/MTEL pensioners will get their 15 months arrears’ payment soon.”
The PTAD boss admonished pensioners against patronising pension fraudsters.
She said no staff of PTAD would call or send any message requesting for payment or ask anyone to call a certain phone number before their arrears or gratuity will be paid.
The Director of Pensioners Support Services, Mrs. Nneka Obiamalu, while speaking on the topic: “New Narrative,” said from January 2014, till date, over N7 billion had been paid to next of kin of 3,832 deceased pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme of the PTAD.
Speaking on behalf of the pensioners who attended the event, the National Vice-President, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Benjamin Ettah, expressed delight and commended PTAD for their transparency and prompt service delivery.
“The experience before PTAD was hazardous. Pensioners were dying due to irresponsibility by pension organisers. There was delay in payment, there was massive fraud but when PTAD came onboard, all those things have ended. Now pensioners are paid as at when due and we are happy,” Ettah said.
