SOME pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) have lauded the ‘I’m Alive’ initiative of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).
A pensioner from Kaduna, Idris Ibrahim told The Nation that he had gone through the process, using his smartphone and that it was seamless.
Another pensioner, Mrs. Victoria Aruwan said she was excited about the initiative as it meant she could be verified at home.
She noted that she would no longer be afraid of what could become of her pension status when she travelled abroad.
Also, Dauda Usman said PTAD has made it easy for pensioners to be verified unlike before when they are made to queue under the sun.
The Executive Secretary, PTAD, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, who introduced the programme last month, said it was aimed at confirming that pensioners on monthly pension payroll were alive and should continue to get their pension.
She said: “This solution takes the pensioner through a three-step confirmation process that ends with a text message response. The Directorate has decided to deploy the application in phases, starting with 50,000 pensioners cut across the four departments and the six geo-political zones, selected to participate in this pilot phase.
‘’On the successful implementation of this pilot phase, we will deploy the application on a full scale at predetermined intervals on a continuous basis for all verified pensioners on the payroll.
“We will conduct the exercise here on some of you as you have been informed, so you can see and understand how it works. Other pensioners who are part of this pilot phase have equally been notified by PTAD via SMS. We earlier promised that the era of bringing out our aged pensioners for field verification is over, and we stand by our promise.
“Furthermore, the government, under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Health, has established a Ministerial committee to look into the issue of providing health insurance for senior citizens. PTAD and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners are members of this Committee.
We are consequently in collaboration with some of our stakeholders including the National Health Insurance Scheme, the National Senior Citizens Centre, and Federal Ministry of Health, to see how making health insurance available to our pensioners can be a reality.”
She said the Directorate will continue to prioritise the welfare of pensioners and called on all the pension unions under the DBS, and other stakeholders for their support in achieving the feat.
Leave a Reply