BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR–The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the payment of outstanding pension liabilities under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
PenCom in a statement said the President approved the payment of outstanding accrued pension rights for verified and enrolled retirees of treasury-funded MDAs that retired, but are yet to be paid their retirement benefits, as well as the back log of death benefits claims due to beneficiaries of deceased employees of treasury funded MDAs.
Also approved is the payment of 2.5 per cent differential in the rate of employer pension contribution for FGN retirees and employees which resulted from the increase in the minimum pension contribution for employers from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent in line with Section 4(1) of the PRA 2014. Payments for retirees and existing employees would take effect from July 2014.
The Head of Corporate Communication at National Pension Commission (PenCom) Mr Peter Aghahowa, said that payments for retirees and existing employees would begin from July 2014.
According to him the Federal Government was expected to continue with the payment of the 10 per cent rate of employer pension contribution for its employees, thus ensuring a remittance of at least 18 per cent monthly (employer 10 per cent and employee 8 per cent) as provided by the PRA 2014.
He said the funds had already been made available for the settlement of the above stated pension liabilities.
Also, that remittance into the various Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of the affected retirees and employees were currently being processed.
He added that the affected retirees and employees would be notified in due course by their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs).
“The settlement of the outstanding accrued pension rights of verified and enrolled FGN retirees and compliance with the reviewed rate of pension contributions are significant developments, that have resolved the challenges in these aspects that have lingered since 2014″.
