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Tag: limbo

  • Micro pension scheme in limbo

    Micro pension scheme in limbo

    Plans by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to capture about 250,000 workers from the informal sector through the Micro Pension Scheme under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS)  seem to have failed.

    The commission had promised in November 2016 that it would release the guidelines for the micro pension by mid-2017 and commence implementation by end of the year.

    According to the Commission, the micro pension scheme is expected to help boost the pension contributors to 20 million Nigerians by 2019 and boost 30 million by year 2024. It is also expected to generate  about N3 trillion to the pension assets, while mobilising about 12 million contributors within five years.

    But it was learnt that the Commission, under the leadership of an Acting Director-General, Mrs. Aisha Dahiru-Umar seems to be slowing down the take-off of the initiative. The initiative had been rigorously pursued during the tenure of the former Director-General, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu.

    The development is against the backdrop of efforts and huge funds deployed to the commencement of the scheme, setting up of micro pension department, among others.

    Beside the implication of the scheme not taking off as planned is that Nigerian workers in the informal sector would continue to be susceptible to old age poverty.

    Micro pension is a scheme targeted at self-employed people, especially those with irregular income, usually in the informal sector and are largely financially uninformed with limited or no access to financial services especially pension plan. This segment, which is estimated to be 70 per cent of the country’s population, largely exists in Nigeria as artisans and self-employed persons.

    Head, Micro Pension Department of PenCom,  Polycarp Anyanwu had earlier said the commission has been collaborating with chambers of commerce, as well as other government agencies in charge of small businesses such as Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDAN) and is working on guidelines for the commencement of the scheme.

    Anyanwu explained that micro pension initiative exists for the provision of pension coverage to self-employed persons.

    He said: “Micro pension initiative exists for the provision of pension coverage to self-employed persons. In Nigeria, it covers three strata of income earners namely lowest, middle and high income earners. “The commission is working assiduously to enroll 250,000 contributors within six months of the commencement of the initiative. The scheme is an offshoot of the pension industry five year strategic plan to expand the coverage of the CPS to 20 million contributors by 2019.

    “The commission is also targeting the self-employed in various trades and professions in Nigeria such as artisans, accountants, lawyers, mechanics, tailors, market men/women, hair dressers, architects, engineers among others.

    “We have reviewed the implementation of micro pension in other jurisdictions like Kenya and Ghana; formulated Guidelines and Framework on Micro Pension; consulted licensed pension industry operators and enhanced its information and communications technology capacity to accommodate the scheme.

    “The scheme will avail the contributor access to regular stream of retirement income at old age and improves living standards of the elderly. The contributors are to benefit from the various incentives to be offered by the PFAs adding that the initiative would deepen financial literacy and inclusion; secures financial autonomy & independence of retirees; passage of wealth to survivors in the event of death; increases National Savings and long term funds; promote growth development of the capital, mortgage and insurance markets and have positive effect on the national economy as pension assets increases.”

    A top official at the Commission who spoke on condition of anonymity affirmed that there is no activity in place at the moment to kickstart the scheme.

    Another official blamed the lack of a substantive DG and Board for the inertia at the Commission.

    Highlighting the challenges of the scheme, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Mr. Eric Fajemisi, said though micro pension scheme is good for the country, it has challenges.

  • SUPER EAGLES JOB: Keshi still in limbo

    SUPER EAGLES JOB: Keshi still in limbo

    • Ready to serve Nigeria
    • Mum on Bafana, Bafana post

    Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, has told supersport.com that he has not been contacted by the country’s football federation, the NFF, on staying in his role. Keshi stated that he had never shut down on remaining the Nigeria head coach job.

    “No one has spoken to me about any contract or invited me to discussion. I am always ready to serve my country to the best of my ability. But we must do things properly,” Keshi responded to supersport.com when asked if he is in talks with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to remain as Super Eagles head coach.

    The 52-year-old Nigerian coach, however, played down reports of him being in the frame to take charge of South Africa’s Bafana Bafana. He also expressed excitement at being linked to the role of the South Africa head coach.

    “They [the South Africa Football Association] have not named their coach. Or have they? I’m happy I’m being considered worthy to handle the team of such a big country but they’ve not named me or any other person as their coach, so I can’t start talking in that capacity,” said Keshi.

    The future of Keshi as Nigeria’s head coach was expected to be among the discussion between the country’s sports Minister, Dr Tammy Danagogo and the NFF on Tuesday in Abuja but the meeting did not hold.

    Under Keshi as head coach, Nigeria won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and also reached the second round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years.

  • A heart in limbo

    FOR Maureen, meeting and falling in love with Adamu was the best thing that happened in her life. It was a long courtship, indeed, and she enjoyed almost every bit of the emotional adventure. Just when she thought she had captured the heart that made hers skip all the time, a mischievous heart came to steal her joy.

    Unfortunately for her, the lady who was interested in her dude was no other than her cousin. “I just noticed that he began to do the things he wasn’t doing in the past. Everything about him changed and the excitement was no longer there. At a point, I thought he had been pretending about what he felt towards me and that all he wanted was a fling.”

    Then he absconded and she was left in the cold. “I was so confused and just didn’t know what to do. Personally, I am one who does not discuss her relationship with others and so it was so difficult talking about the emotional trauma that I was going through with anyone. A number of my friends started noticing that something was wrong with me, but I just could not break the news to anyone and I moved from bad to worse in almost everything that I was involved with.”

    So how did she now come to the discovery of what was amiss? “One day, I decided to go and see Adamu to find out what I had done wrong.” Was he going to listen to her or shut his emotional gates forever? Well, she finally found the courage to go and she did just that. “I was shocked when I got to his place and found that my cousin was in charge. She did not want to open the door for me, but luckily for me, Adamu heard my voice and he came to the door angrily. He called me names and pointed at my cousin as the one who opened his eyes to all the things I had been hiding from him.

    “Angry, I demanded to know my sins and he said she told him that I was having an affair with his colleague in the office. Lies and more lies followed. During the arguments and counter arguments, he realised my cousin was the liar. She actually broke down in tears and confessed before running out of the house.”

    The emotional battle was over and now the coast is clear. “But somehow, I just couldn’t bring myself to forgiving them. I also felt that there was no point going on with someone who didn’t trust me, someone who couldn’t ask questions about a story someone told him about me considering how long and how far we had been together. There was no point having a crush on someone who was just ready to dump me for a lie told by a green-eyed monster that was also probably in love with him. I was therefore in a confused state and told him that I still needed a break. I needed time to either move on or perhaps give him a second chance. I just hope that it would not be worse if I take the latter option.”

    Yes, she is indeed at crossroads. The decisions to be taken must all come from her and she would either recover from this emotional shock or live with it for the rest of her life.

    Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just cannot bring the emotional pieces together. Like Maureen, Femi is also in a fix having survived four emotional somersaults in three years. “I ran into an old flame last week and somehow the sparks appeared to be alive as we talked and shared wonderful memories together.”

    In his wounded heart he felt an emotional burden moving away and it looked like he had found love all over again.

    Memories of some of the happy moments shared with this lost love came back like a whirlwind and he began to visualise a bright future in the arms of the one he once loved and still loved so dearly. Sweet memories of her ever-smiling face, bright eyeballs and trendy outlook filled his mind.

    The big question here is, if it was really going to work out according to his dreams. Or was she going to let him down like the others who had come before her in this romantic conquest and adventure to find out how real he is or wants to be?

    When it comes to matters of the heart, you really need to define what you want and how you hope to achieve your expectation. You also need to understand your partner to appreciate the peculiarities that you are going to experience.

    It is therefore important to start to look for clues about your partner’s level of “seriousness” in the things he says and does to operate at the optimal level.

  • Onyeudo in limbo

    Bishop Onyeudo faces an anxious wait to see if he will be cleared to play in time for the south-east Glo Premier League derby meeting between his new club, Enyimba and Enugu Rangers.

    In as much as Onyeudo is excited about the prospect of making his home debut in his second spell with the Aba side, he confirmed he was still expecting his paperwork to be perfected following his move from Gombe United.

    He told supersport.com that he would do his best to make the starting line-up if eligible to play, and promised Rangers would be beaten.

    “I have been looking forward to playing the game against Rangers all week, and I’ll be disappointed if I’m unable to do so because of delay with my clearance,” he told supersport.com.

    “I knew I was going to miss the Heartland game due to time factor, but I was optimistic everything would be sorted out by the weekend.

    “I’ve been training hard and everything has gone well so far. Fidelis Saviour and Sibi Gwar have been doing a good job here, and the competition for places in the attack is quite intense.

    “I like it that way and that’s the how it was when I joined Gombe United. It makes one work hard and I hope to earn my place in the team. The coaches have added wisely and I’m looking forward to a successful time here.

    “I’m happy we have started the second round well with an away victory, and I’m promising our fans victory against Rangers.”

    Onyeudo had a previous spell with Enyimba in 2009, and has also played for Rangers. Enyimba are fourth on the league table with 30 points, while Rangers are a place behind with a point less.