L-R: Olugbenga Ajayi, head corporate affairs, Dr. Suleyman Shelleng, director, Civil Service Pension Dept, Mrs. Nneka Obiamalu director Pension Support Services Dept, Kabiru B. Yusuf, Director Parastatals Pension Dept, dep director Police Pension Dept, Mrs. C Adebote, Mr. Abdulla Abubakar, Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Dept. and Dr. Ihuoma Ikemba-Efughi, Special Asst to ES at the training workshop in Lagos.
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR–The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, has said it has successfully removed 19,018 deceased and dubious Pensioners from the old pension scheme with the help of the Bank Verification Exercise ( BVN).
Speaking at the one-day workshop for members of National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents (NAIPCO) in Lagos, she said prior to the inception of PTAD in 2013, payment of pensioners under the DBS was marred by lots of anomalies resulting in all sorts of corruption at the detriment of the pensioners.
Ejikeme who was represented by Director, Parastatals Pension Department, Kabiru Yusuf, “all the issues inherent in the system have been resolved through verification and validation which had saved cost for the country.”
“Over the years, PTAD has worked assiduously to change the narrative of pension administration in Nigeria, especially under the Defined Benefits Scheme, and we are proud to see that the hard work has yielded and has continued to yield positive results.”
She noted that the agency has been at the forefront since inception, to ensure that the welfare of pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS) remains a priority.
Speaking on Civil Service Pension Department under PTAD, Sulayman Shelleng, said the currently about 107,785 pensioners are on its payroll.
While the agency has fully paid the inherited 33% pension increment and also facilitated the payment of recently approved minimum pension.
Shelleng said the agency has created a reliable database for civil service pensioners, initiated a decent digital/physical archiving solution.
The establishment of a Special Project by the Executive of PTAD, according to him, saw to the computation and payment of pension arrears to over 24,000 pensioners and Next-of-Kin of deceased pensioners.
PTAD according to him has paid 21 Months Arrears of Consequential Adjustment in Pension as a result of the New National Minimum Wage amounting to over N19 billion.
