By OmobolaTolu-Kusimo

Dear Omobola Pension Solution. I am a  lawyer based in Makurdi, the Benue State.

I write on behalf of Mrs. Josephine of Gboko, Benue State. My client is the widow and next-of-kin of the late Nathaniel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

He was born on October 4, 1960,  joined the NCS on October 5, 1991 and died Nathaniel died on October 31, 2006.

Until he death, Nathaniel was an Assistant Superintendent of Customs. After his death, my client notified his employers.

She also procured and submitted  the relevant documents to the NCS’ headquarters in Abuja to facilitate  the payment of his death benefits.

After the initial processing, the NCS forwarded my client’s application to the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for further processing and payment sometime in 2011.

PTAD advised my client to participate in a screening and verification. She complied with the instruction on August 15, 2015, following which she was assured of prompt payment of the claim.

However, my client did not hear anything from the PTAD. Consequently, she retained my service to procure or facilitate the processing and payment of the claim. I paid numerous visits to the NCS and PTAD offices in Abuja where I met with several responsible officers of both agencies. I also sought clarification from the Pension Commission of Nigeria, Abuja.

Despite sustained visits, meetings, consultations, and enquiries in person and via mobile telecoms and written letters, the authorities of PTAD did not take any positive action on my client’s claim until June 1, 2019, when I wrote a letter demanding payment for my client.

On June 10, 2019, PTAD replied, informing my client that it was not responsible for the payment of the deceased’s death benefits and further advised my client to contact the NCS, PenCom and the deceased’s PFA for the processing and payment of the claim.

My client is confused and frustrated with the procedure after more than 13 years when she commenced efforts to obtain the death benefits claim of her late husband’s service to the NCS.

Meanwhile, my client has lost the only home that her deceased husband had laboured to construct due to a fire accident a few years ago.

Read Also: Pension complaints and solutions

Mrs. Josephine is the administrator of the estate of the deceased.

Kindly help us to get clarity.

– C. V. Chia, Esq.

The Nation: The newspaper will intervene by sending your complaint to PenCom. Do watch out for the newspaper publication next Wednesday for a response from the commission and subsequently every week for pension news.

Dokun: My name is Dokun, next- of-kin to the late Farinmade whose PFA is Premium Pension.

He worked at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) from September 18, 1992 to June 11, 2010 before his death. He was on Salary Grade: GL 08/8.

I wrote to the PFA and they said ‘work-in-progress’on payment. But up till now, I am yet to get any payment from them.

Note that the last letter dated May 31, 2006 to the deceased from PenCom, following a letter written by NIPOST disclosed that  N36,485: 60 was paid into his pension account for from July 2004 to February 2006.

All documentations had been done in Abuja office of PenCom office since the death of my brother, and nothing has been heard since.

Kindly help me get my late brother’s entitlements.

PenCom: A search on the Commission’s database indicates that this is a non-existing entry. This means that no official report has been made on the deceased to the Commission. However, you are advised to return to the PFA and re-submit relevant documents for onward submission to the Commission.

Annonymous: I want to remain anonymous. My PFA is Premium Pension Limited. My problem is as follows: On September 16, 2020, I received a text message. It says: ‘Please be informed that people have received approval from PenCom regarding your pension benefit payment.Contact 09-4615700 for further information’. The next day, another text message came, stating: ‘Dear member, kindly disregard the SMS received on approval from PenCom. This was sent in error. We apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this. Please sir, who is fooling who, because the benefits are overdue for payment.

PenCom: Kindly ignore messages on pension payments, claiming they are from the Commission. PenCom does not contact individuals. Only Pension Fund Administrators are allowed to contact retirees to notify them on such related issues.

However, kindly furnish the Commission with your PIN for further investigations to be conducted.

Adigun: My name is Adigun and my PFA is First Guarantee. The issue I want to discuss affects contributory pensioners who were Osun State Government employees that retired in 2016 to date.

None of these have received either gratuity or pension since they retired. The real problem is not known as we were being fed with lies by various concerned PFAs. Kindly advise us on the way out of this predicament.

PenCom: The relevant Department would require the PIN of the complainant to assist them further.

Ocheni: Good day. My name is Ocheni. I have submitted my late father’s file to his PFA since 2018 and nothing has been paid.The family is passing through hard times. Please help me.

The Nation: The newspaper will intervene by sending your complaint to PenCom. Do watch out for the newspaper publication next Wednesday for a response from the commission and subsequently  weekly for pension news.

Annonymous: Good day, Omobola. Please I need enlightenment to enable me to choose between Programme Withdrawal and Annuity. Also, I ask: How long will it take my PFA before paying me my pension?

The Nation: The newspaper will intervene by sending your complaint to PenCom. Do watch out for the newspaper publication next Wednesday for a response from the commission and subsequently every week for pension news.

Atinshola: My name is Atinshola. I resigned in 2018 and 25 per cent of my balance was paid immediately and another 25 per cent, when I was 50, by Crusader Sterling Pension.

I need the pension manager to pay my balance to pay my children’s education, rents and  attend to my needs. My last employer is Sterling Bank.

The Nation: The newspaper will intervene by sending your complaint to PenCom. Do watch out for the newspaper publication next Wednesday for a response from the commission and subsequently  weekly for pension news.