Pension complaints

LETU: Dear Omobola, My name is Eletu from Ilorin. This is my third letter to you without any reply or publication in The Nation. Even though I don’t miss the paper on Wednesdays. Please, help me.

This is my complaint. I was born June 10, 1950. I joined Nigeria Custom Service on September 25, 1975. I retired October 25, 2017. I am on level 09/step 10. I was verified on December 6, 2017 at PTAD headquarters, Maitama, Abuja. Up till today, I have never received a kobo either pension, gratuity or any retirement benefit – 33 per cent arrears and other backlog of retirement arrears since then. I have travelled to PTAD headquarters more than 100 times. All I hear was, ‘wait a little’. But my question: Is wait till when? Is it until I die before they pay me? I have written several letters to President, Vice President and even to the Executive Secretary of PTAD.

I have sold all the properties I acquired during my working years to treat my aged sick mother. Even my family is begging for what to eat. After I served my country, Nigeria for many years, is this how the government will repay me? How long will I suffer before I collect my pension and gratuity?

I am on a sick bed. Save my family and I from suffering.

Please appeal to PTAD to pay me. God will help you to help me.

PTAD: Pensioner has been called and was asked to provide his UBA Bank Statement (Original, stamped and signed) from 2007 to date and to attach his verification slip.

ABDULHAKEEM: My name is Abdulhakeem. I am the Next of Kin (NoK) to my late mother’s, (Halimat’s) benefits. I filed all necessary documents since June 2018, but nothing is forthcoming. I need the money to help the family. Please assist me. Thank you.

PTAD: The NoK is unknown, neither do we know his contact number, MDA or account number.

JEFF in care of MBA: Dear Omobola, I am writing on behalf of Mba, a state pensioner with federal share. I retired from service in September 2009 on grade level 15, step 9. I have done my verification and have done that which is expected of me, yet nothing is forthcoming. I have not been paid gratuity or pension. Kindly help me to get this my little entitlement.

Read Also: Pension complaints and solutions

PTAD: The pensioner was called several times but he did not pick them. He should provide us with his correct pension number or his account number to enable us resolve his complaint.

ADIGUN: My name is Adigun and my PFA is First Guarantee.  The issue I want to discuss affects all contributory pensioners who were Osun State Government employees before they retired in 2016. None of them has received either gratuity or pension. The real problem we have is not known as we were being fed with lies by the various PFAs. Kindly deal into this and advise us on the way out of this predicament.

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

TOR: My complaint is on the non-payment of outstanding pension and gratuity.

I retired from the Nigeria Immigration Service. I was in service when the National Pension Commission (PenCom) was introduced in 2004. By 2006, I registered with First Alliance Pension Limited, now ARM Pension Managers with a PIN 100####.

Certificate of issuance was  delayed. This created anxiety prompting me to register with another pension manager, Stanbic IBTC Pension. I retired in May 2016. By December 29 of the same year, I applied for harmonisation of my pension managers to PenCom to facilitate the payment of my pension.

PenCom replied me with a letter dated February 1, 2017. It  recognised the first PIN as a valid PIN, saying that of Stanbic IBTC was invalid.That ARM Pension Managers PFA would retain the first valid PIN on its data base while Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers would de-activate the second one.

PENCOM advised that I should maintain Retirement Saving Account (RSA) PIN with ARM Pension for  pension transactions.

It promised to reconcile both contributions, while that in the valid PIN (if any) would be refunded to the Federal Government through its accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Kindly assist me solve this problem.

PENCOM: Tor’s retirement benefits were paid into the second PIN with Stanbic IBTC.  He is advised to write  the Commission for proper treatment.