The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pension

  • Politicians’ pension vs. labours’ peanut

    SIR: What informed the decision to pay ex- political office holders’ pension aside from the severance package! Do they even deserve severance package?

    The political office is not like the NYSC scheme that is mandatory; the office holder voluntarily picks up the nomination form and willingly fulfils the rigours of the process which could be physical, financial or even spiritual.

    So how on earth is the mind boggling fraud in the name of the treasury draining pensions for these souls whose (dis)service to their constituencies cannot exceed eight years before their exodus to National Assembly.

    A case of the child yet to sleep while the dog is snoring, the civil servants cannot be paid the covenanted pension after a laborious 35 years of being paid transport allowance called salary, yet the politician that lived comfortably at the expense of the state for the eight forgettable years is again inordinately fed and sheltered for life.

    While the campaign to dissuade compatriots from blocking the drainage system in order to avert flooding is on, it is pertinent to ensure this drainage of the treasury is effectively blocked, and in the timeless verdict of Dame Patience Jonathan……”there is God o”

     

    • Opeyemi Ajala, FCA

    Oshodi, Lagos.

  • Pension arrears: Open letter to acting President

    Without the slightest thought about the horrible implication of delayed payment of arrears of pensions and earned promotions to deserving but traumatized Nigerians, and especially senior citizens whose life span after retirement in this country is rather short as a result of the inhuman treatment of unnecessary delays and non-payment of their gratuities and pensions, the Honourable Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun came out with a bang that the Federal Government would issue promissory notes to pay contractors and other services rendered by some people.  Evidently, this is not our worry.  What is terrifying is the minister‘s proposed method of payment of pension arrears as well as arrears for earned promotions by public servants.  In her wisdom, she said that pensioners and employees would be paid not directly but by bonds.  Hear her: “Obligations owed to individuals (for example pensioners and employee benefit) will be paid and will be resolved through the issuance of bond instruments, phased over the next three years” (The Nation, July 13, p.6).  Now, one is greatly perturbed by this thinking.

    Ever since 2007 when I wrote an open letter to the late President Yar’Adua (of blessed memory) through this medium concerning the annual rituals of thousands of new retirees trooping to Abuja from different parts of the country for wicked verification, I have never given up writing on behalf of retirees.  I thought it was extreme wickedness arising from primitive thought of a people that new pensioners all over the country should converge on Abuja for such an inhuman and inhumane exercise.  It never occurred to people in the Nigerian government the hardship and danger of asking their senior citizens whom, in civilized countries, their government would strive to make comfortable, to find their ways to far away Abuja by road and at their own expenses.  In effect, many of these senior citizens would die from accident on their ways to Abuja, and those who landed in Abuja safely would be helpless as they have no place to stay other than under the bridges or uncompleted houses.

    As we all know, Abuja is a very expensive city to live in, and I don’t think any poor retiree can afford an hotel in Abuja even for one day!  I then asked why the Federal Government did not deem it fit to send a few officers to different locations in the country for the massive exercise.  Fortunately, after I wrote my letter to President Yar’Adua, the exercise in Abuja was cancelled all over the country.  I was one of the first beneficiaries of this cancellation as I did my verification that year, 2007, at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife while the same exercise was conducted at the OAU Teaching Hospital and the Federal Polytechnic, Ede.  Since then I had written more than six articles on pensions and pensioners including “Memo to President Jonathan on workers’ strike and pension arrears” ( The Nation, 18 November, 2010, p.19), “Pensions: Open Letter to the President” (The Nation, 24 January, 2014, p.21), “Okonjo-Iweala and Pensioners” (The Nation, 29 June, 2014, p,18); Governors,  workers, and salary arrears” (The Nation,  29 Sept, 2016, p. 18); “FG and pension arrears” (The Nation, 18 November, 2014, p.21), “Pensioners: Open letter to President Buhari” (The Nation on  Sunday, 13 November, 2016, p.18) being the last amongst others.  This last letter elicited a series of comments and responses, bordering on appreciation and prayers from pensioners all over the country mostly from the North and South-east, and many from South-south and South-west. Osinbajo should not allow the present be like the past”.

    Now, acting President, your Minister of Finance had flown what I believed must be a kite that arrears of pensions and promotion entitlements would be paid with bonds!  I say, please stop her, just as former President Obasanjo did when his Finance Minister made a similar sinister proposal.  Let me brief you by recounting one of my write-ups on this particular matter, viz, “FG and pension arrears”, November 18, 2014 above.  Excerpts:

    “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as president, showed a tremendous respect and sympathy for pensioners when in 2006 he blocked his Minister of Finance, Esther Nenadi Usman’s attempt to pay the arrears of pensioners with Federal Government bonds.  President Obasanjo was particularly unhappy with that arrangement when he asked his minister the crucial question ‘A 70 or  80 years old man, if you give him  pension arrears in bonds, and you say it is cashable in so, so number of years, how many more years did you think he has to live?’ (The Guardian, August 8, 2006).  The pension arrears were put at N75 billion.  President Obasanjo ordered the government, through its Minister of Finance, to release N75 billion immediately to clear all the arrears of pensions.  During the Yar’Adua administration, prompt attention was paid to payment of pensioners, known all over the world as senior citizens”.

    Unfortunately, the regime of President Jonathan was different.  Even when it appeared that the president wanted to act, his Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was always on hand to frustrate his effort.  For instance, when President Jonathan signed an approval for the payment of 53% increase from July 1, 2009 to 2014 as calculated by his technical committee, Okonjo-Iweala was alleged to have controversially insisted on cutting the 53% to 33% even after the Wages Commission and the NLC were said to have prepared 53% payment arrears for inclusion in the budget (see The Nation, January 24, 2014, p.21 and “Okonjo-Iweala and pensioners”(The Nation, June 29,  2014, p.18). We later heard that, after the payment of 33%, the military were gunning for the balance of 20% which we are made to understand the administration of President Buhari has promised to pay now. This kind gesture by the present administration which promised change from the pitfalls of President Jonathan’s administration must not be rubbished by a tacit return to the insensitive era of Okonjo-Iweala as Jonathan’s finance minister. Therefore, the acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, should take a cue from former President Obasanjo by ordering the present finance minister, Mrs. Adeosun, to reverse herself in line with the philosophy and good intention of Buhari/Osinbajo administration. Please note that pensioners have been cheated on two grounds. First, the value of their unpaid arrears since 2009 has diminished at the current rate of naira to the dollar.  Second, the interests on the arrears owed to these pensioners have been stolen by officers who usually fix the money for personal gains.  They should be paid their arrears with interest since 2009 or 2010.

    Since the finance minister cannot pretend that she is unaware that many pensioners die on a daily basis in this country owing to old age and government’s culture of delayed or non-payment of pensions and arrears of poor pensioners until death knocks at their doors, she must see to it that no more pensioners die as a result of delays or non-payment of pensions and arrears from now on, otherwise non-pensioners and even sympathetic observers from outside Nigeria may well say of those waiting in vain for their pensions in Nigeria: Ye Nigerian pensioners who are about to die, we salute but pity you.

    In order to wash its hands off the sinful and almost unpardonable act of wilful negligence, government must endeavour to pay arrears of pensioners, including the outstanding 20%, by the end of July or August latest,  and not deliberately wait for more deaths to be counted against them thereafter. That is how bad things are in our beloved country, Nigeria, where nothing works except hypocrisy, selfishness, greed and corruption of various descriptions.  Need we say more?

     

    • Prof Makinde, FNAL, JP is a retired Professor of Philosophy, Obafemi Awolowo University

    Ile-Ife.

  • FG releases N470bn for outstanding pension

    FG releases N470bn for outstanding pension

    The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has commended the Federal Government for the release of about of he sum of N740 billion for the settlement of outstanding pension liabilities and promotion arrears of federal workers across the country.

    The union also asked its members nationwide to take advantage of of the current voter registration exercise and equip themselves with voters card to enable them vote out politicians who have displayed anti-worker and anti pensioners tendencies during the 2019 elections.

    In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Actor Zal and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the union said the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD)) has also assured that  all pension arrears will soon be liquidated by the government and appealed to its members nationwide to exercise a little more patience, as the government is ready to facilitate the payment of all entitlements in due course through the treasury bills and bonds.

    According to the statement, payments of the arrears of 33% pension increase, (18 months for civilian pensioners and 39 months for police pensioners) as well as the backlog of arrears of gratuities that were owed pensioners since 2001 shall also be liquidated.

    The statement added that “PTAD will equally commence the verification of pensioners from the South West and North Central zones within few weeks from now. The dates and venues of the exercise will be announced as soon as funds are released through print and electronic media by PTAD accordingly.”

    It said that the union was appreciative “of the efforts of the Chairman House Committee on Pension, Hon. Hassan Shekarau and the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Bar. (Mrs) Sharon Ikeazor for their frantic and unshakeable efforts in this regard. We call on them and all other well-meaning Nigerians, to join hands with the federal government to ensure that this payment is done without further delay so as to assuage the pains and sufferings of our senior citizens who had worked selflessly for a greater and indivisible Nigeria.

    “May we equally use this medium to direct all our members from the States, LGAs and parastatals across the country to take advantage of the on-going voters registration exercise towards equipping themselves with voters cards in readiness for the 2019 general election so as to cast their votes for and against those who have been treating them fairly and those who have been treating them with disdain and levity respectively.”

  • Plateau workers protest new pension bill

    The union of Plateau State-owned tertiary institutions disrupted proceedings at House of Assembly yesterday to protest the new Contributory Pension Scheme bill.

    The house has assembled for plenary when the protesters stormed the assembly complex and disrupted proceedings.

    The protesters, drawn from the six tertiary institutions in the state, were led by the Chairman, Comrade Paul Dakogol.

    They carried placards with inscriptions like “Speaker, do not drag Plateau workers into PENCOM”; “Contributory pension is full of manipulation”; “Exempt staff of tertiary institutions from the proposed new pension scheme”; “House of Assembly, please protect our existing gratuity scheme”; “We are saying no to the new pension bill”.

    Dakogol said: “The funding of accrued liabilities from the present scheme is another big challenge that workers will really suffer from, considering the financial indebtedness of the state. For instance, how will government meet up with its accrued liabilities to the institutions, which we have calculated to stand at about N15 billion, in event of transitioning to the new scheme? This is a big burden when we put other government workers into consideration.”

    The union called on the House of Assembly to strengthen the present pension and gratuity scheme and intervene for the release of accreditation funds by the Ministry of Finance.

    The Speaker, Peter Azi, lauded the protesters for their peaceful assembly. He assured them the House will pass a law that is acceptable to the people.

  • Group decries non-payment of pension

    Group decries non-payment of pension

    The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has decried the non-payment of pension  for May to pensioners across the country.

    The union in a statement signed by the National President, Dr. A.O. Afolayan and the General Secretary, Elder Actor Zal, lamented the hardship the non-payment of the this month’s pension has caused its members all over the country.

    The statement reads: “Efforts to find out what could have been the cause of the delay for the payment received no proper and convincing explanation from the Federal Government  agencies.”

    The union, therefore, appealed to the Acting President  Yemi Osinbajo, to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and ensure that May pension is paid immediately without further delay in order to ameliorate the suffering of its members across the nation most of whom are aged. He added that it should be made a deliberate policy that pensioners are paid latest by 25th of every month.

    The union added that this could be one of the best legacies that this government would bequeath to the nation as it is done in other normal climes that recognise and appreciate the labour and services of their past heroes.

  • PTAD, please pay my pension arrears

    SIR: I wrote a passionate appeal letter sometime in February concerning non-payment of arrears of my pension since September, 2009 (now close to eight years).

    Officials of Pension Transition Arrangement Department (PTAD) acknowledged the letter and asked me to re-submit all necessary relevant documents to their office which I did in the month of February, and which they also acknowledged. But up till now, I am yet to be paid my pension arrears.

    This situation has meted further untold hardship to me and my family as I have not been able to meet most of my financial obligations and commitment as a family man. My children are out of school because of non-payment of school fees. In fact I am now seriously in debt.

    I am therefore using this medium again to further passionately plead and appeal to you to use your good offices to please urgently and kindly come to me and my family’s aid and assistance

    My name is Hassan Samusi Olusegun. I retired voluntarily as a Principal Executive Officer (PEO) (Accounts) grade level 12 step 9 from the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja on December 1, 2003. My monthly pension is supposed to commence in September 2009 due to my age at the time of voluntary retirement.

    My E-PENSION verification number is EPENHOS127375 and my file number at the Federal Ministry of Education is P62563.

    My Bank is First Bank Plc and my account number is 3009873620. My Bank verification number is 22163043179.

    My telephone numbers are: 08036400740, 07084399033

     

    • Hassan Samusi Olusegun,

    Lagos.

  • Governors resolve to pay salaries, pension arrears

    Governors resolve to pay salaries, pension arrears

    The 36 state governors have some good news for pensioners in their states.

    The states chief executives have resolved to clear the backlog of salaries and pensions once they receive the next tranche of the Paris-London Club loan refunds.

    The decision was taken at a meeting hosted on Thursday night by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar.

    Yari is the Governor of Zamfara State.

    The governors met in anticipation of the release of the other half of the Paris-London Club refund.

    The funds are expected to be paid into the accounts of the state governments within the month.

    Pensioners in many of the states are owed a backlog of gratuities and pensions.

    Many pensioners are said to have died of hunger arising from the non-payment of their entitlements for months.

    The governors at the Thursday meeting were understood to have deliberated on the matter and concluded that in order to set the country on the path of growth, something immediate should be done to ameliorate workers’ plight by offsetting the backlog of their pay and emoluments.

    “We all agreed that a substantial amount from the next tranche of the Paris-London refunds be used in the settlement of workers salary and pension arrears,” Abubakar said.

    Of the N522.74 billion owed the states, N388.304 was paid to them last December.

    Similarly, the governors committed to the verification of the input of all the consultants involved in the harmonization of the refunds due to each state, since 2005 when the demand for the refunds commenced.

    At the moment, there are litigations from more than 10 different consultants still agitating for settlement for their roles in the quest to have the refunds made to states.

    The forum set up a committee headed by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to review the consultants issue and provide a solution to the demands by the consultants on the Paris-London Club refunds to states.

    Other members of the committee are Governors Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto); Simon Lalong (Plateau); Seriaki Dickson (Bayelsa); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe) who is a former Accountant General of the Federation.

    The forum also resolved to work harmoniously in a manner that would transcend all political affiliations so that all governors would speak with one voice on issues of national importance.

    To achieve this, a committee made up of the Governors of Imo, Bayelsa, Abia, Ekiti, Kano, Nasarawa and Bauchi was constituted to work for the “reconciliation of the forum and the betterment of the country.”

    The forum split into two in 2013 following interference in the election of the chairman of the body by the then Jonathan administration.

    The government was not comfortable with the re-election of the then Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who was at loggerheads with President Jonathan.

    The government instead backed and recognised ex-Plateau Governor Jonah Jang as chairman of the body despite the fact that he got the support of only 16 of his colleagues as against the 19 for Amaechi.

  • Osinbajo approves appointments for PenCom, BOI, others

    Osinbajo approves appointments for PenCom, BOI, others

    The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the weekend approved appointments for some Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions.
    A statement by Chris C. Okeke on behalf of the Director (Press) Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said all the appointments take immediate except those that need Senate’s confirmation.
    Alh. Ali Usman is now the Chairman, National Pension Commission, but to be subjected to confirmation by the Senate.
    The new Director-General of National Pension Commission is Mr. Funso Doherty. His appointment is also subject to confirmation by the Senate.
    Mr. Manase Benga is Executive Commissioner, National Pension Commission and requires Senate’s confirmation.
    Zaki Magawata was named as the Executive Commissioner, National Pension Commission. Appointment subject to confirmation by the Senate.
    The Executive Commissioner, National Pension Commission is
    Ben Oviosun, also to be confirmed by the Senate.
    Nyerere Ayim is the Executive Commissioner, National Pension Commission. Appointment to be subjected to Senate’s confirmation.
    Dikko Aliyu AbdulRahman is the Chairman, Governing Board of the Bank of Industry (BoI).
    The Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI) is Mr. Olukayode Pitan, while Mr. Emeka Nwakpa is the Chairman, Governing Board of the Consumer Protection Council.

  • ‘Increase retirees’ enrolment in contributory pension scheme’

    ‘Increase retirees’ enrolment in contributory pension scheme’

    The  Interim Chairman of the Management Committee of the First Guarantee Pensions Limited Comrade Issa Aremu  has called on the new management of the National Pension Commission (Pencom) to increase contributory pension scheme enrollment figure. He made this call  at a news conference in Abuja.

    Aremu, who is also the General Secretary of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, noted that the current enrolment of less than seven million subscribers in the National Pension Commission was inadequate compared to the over 80 million  workers in the country.

    He  said: “The over six million workers already captured under the reform is commendable. But this number is a far cry from over 80 million potential work force in Nigeria.

    “The N6.5 trillion  funds contributed so far can hardly meet the future income adequacy of retirees, which underscores the need for an intensified effort on the part of the incoming leadership.”

    He stressed the need for all retirees under the scheme to be  paid their benefits as at when due.

    Aremu said under the previous management, pension assets grew from N2.9 trillion in 2012 to over N6.5 trillion in 2017, due to  the efforts of the past leadership of the Pencom.

    He recalled that Pencom set up the management with the mandate to superintend over the affairs of the Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) under the direct supervision of the commission after the former management was dissolved “for unsound corporate governance practices, which had significant adverse implication for the pension assets under the management of the PFA”.

  • Lagos pays N66b pension benefits to 14,468

    Lagos pays N66b pension benefits to 14,468

    The Lagos State government through the Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions has paid pension benefits of over N41 billion to pensioners who retired under the Pay As You Go Scheme in two years.

    Another N25.8 billion was paid  into the Retirement Savings Account (RSA) of 5,956 retirees under the Contributory pension Scheme (CPS).

    The amount totalling N66 billion was paid in two years to 14, 468 pensioners drawn from the new and old scheme.

    The Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr Akintola Benson, spoke while rendering account of the governor’s activities of the ministry at a press briefing marking the second anniversary of the inauguration of Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Dr. Benson said the state government’s funding of employees’ pension rights under the CPS in a period of 10 years is approximately N138. 41 billion.

    Giving breakdown of the Pay As You Go pensioners, he said the Civil Service Pensions Office (CSPO) has a record pensioner population of 8512 in the mainstream as at April, 2017.

    He stated that the total sum of N1. 84 billion was paid as pensions from  May 31 last year  to April,30 2017.

    During the two year period under review, he said the office achieved three years arrears of 142 per cent pension increase paid in November, 2015 to pensioners who retired on or before April 2000.

    He also said the increases of six per cent and 15 per cent on monthly pensions were also paid in January 2015 to those who retired on or before October 1, 2003 and January 1, 2007 respectively while N3.87 billion was paid as pensions which varied monthly.

    He said: “In November 2015, Civil Service Pensions Office facilitated and completed the payment of severance, pensions and gratuity to 73 disengaged staff of the defunct Eko Today to the tune of N37. 17 billion.

    “The office forwarded 128 Lagos State pensioners with federal shares complaints ranging from short payment of gratuity and arrears to stoppage of monthly pensions to the Director-General, Pensions Transition Arrangement Department Office, Abuja,” he said.

    On CPS, the Commissioner said the backlog of terminal entitlements of retirees has been reduced within a nine month period.

    He added: “For instance between May 2016 to May, 2017,  the state government through LASPEC paid the sum of N11, 754 billion into the RSA of 2,886 retirees. 1,291 of the retirees were from the Local Government and SUBEB, 697 from TEPO, 887 from the Mainstream service and 11 from parastatals.  The government through LASPEC from August 2015 to March, 2017 paid the sum of N25.8 billion into the RSA of 5,956 retirees drawn from the Local Government and SUBEB, TEPO, Mainstream and Parastatals.”