Scores of pensioners from the four local government areas of Akoko division in Ondo State at the weekend pleaded with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu(SAN)to bail them out of their present predicaments. They urged him to give preference to the regular payment of their monthly stipends and gratuity as part of dividends of democracy to the people.
According to two of the pensioners,Chief Bola Komolafe,a former school principal and Chief Owolabi Abanikannda, a retired senior public servant,their plea to Akeredolu became imperative due to non-payment of eight months arrears of their entitlements.
They said “having served for good 35 years, it is regretable that we are finding ourselves in this terrible situation, without exaggeration, many of our members have died of hunger. Many are sick without money for medication.”
The pensioners made passionate appeal to the governor to search for a special fund to settle their arears.
Tag: Pensioners
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Pensioners urge Akeredolu to pay entitlements
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Pensioners allege threat to contributory pension scheme
The non-payment of the accrued right by the Federal Government may derail the contributory pension scheme, the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has said.
Speaking in Abuja at a meeting with pensioners in the contributory pension scheme (CPS), the National President of NUP, Dr Abel Afolayan, said it was imperative that the pensioners were organised and unionised.
Though Afolayan lauded the near-absence of fraud in the CPS since it began in 2004, he said the non-payment of the saving bond by the Federal Government could derail the scheme.
He said: “There is no doubt that since the inception of the scheme, there was no single case of fraud in the last 10 years of its existence and many pensioners have been able to access their retirement benefits as and when due. But I have observed that in recent times, especially since October 2015 to date, retirees under this scheme have not been able to access their retirement benefits as a result of the non-payment of the accrued right by the Federal Government through the retirement saving bond.”
The NUP chief said pension has not been reviewed by the government even when workers’ salaries were reviewed which is in disobedience to Section 173(3) and Section 210(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 15 of 2014 Pension Reform act (as amended). These sections stipulate that pension shall be reviewed after every five years or whenever workers’ salaries are reviewed.
Pointing out the inadequacies in the Pension Reform Act 2004, Afolayan identified abolition of gratuities which has now denied employees the opportunity of getting a lump sum when they retire.
He also added that the National Pension Commission and Pension Fund Admini-strators (PFAs) were yet to specify how pensioners could benefit from returns on investment of their contributions, which has left pensioners the owners of the funds in hardship while PFAs are smiling to their banks.
Afolayan further said the NUP appeared before the joint committee on budget and appropriation at the National Assembly and submitted a memorandum requesting over N183 billion to fund the accrued right of retirees from 2015 to date as part of efforts to ensure that contributory pensioners entitlements are not denied.
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‘Fed Govt owes pensioners N183b’
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that unless urgent steps are taken, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CSP) designed to ease the suffering of pensioners in the country may collapse, saying the government was indebted to pensioners under the scheme to over N183 billion.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Contributory Pensioners branch of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Abuja, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said government attitude towards remitting the retirement savings bond for many workers who migrated to the new scheme is threatening the survival of the scheme.
The CPS was put in place by the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo under the Pension Reforms Act of 2004 to replace the Defined Benefit Scheme which has made life unbearable for pensioners across the country.
However, with over N183 billion unpaid contribution by the government, Wabba believes the time has come for both the pensioners and workers to join hands to ensure that the right thing is done by the government, saying “we must unite to fight this course because in unity lies our strength”.
Wabba said: “The CPS is being threatened for obvious reasons. The president has narrated some of the challenges that the scheme is passing through and therefore, it is very clear and obvious that the scheme is under threat today and if you are not careful, the scheme may even collapse because where you have a liability of over N183 billion unattended to, is something that should give all of us course for concern.
“As we use to say, retirement should be sweet, but I think retirement in Nigeria have turned out to be a nightmare where our very senior citizens. Instead of receiving attention they deserve having served their country diligently, it is now the other way round.
“That is why I am extremely delighted that this forum is being put together. I am aware that another group is parading themselves as representing the interest of the contributory pensioners. I know that as a matter of fact, the NUP has the capacity and the strength and structure to accommodate your interest effectively.
“The union has been in existence since 1978 and has structures in all the 774 local government areas in the country and in all states. Both the Defined Benefit Scheme and the CPS are passing through serious challenges.
“Under the law, the pension union is supposed to protect your interest within the context of the law ad those laws states that you have the right. So, in your own interest and to protect your right, you have a right to belong to the NUP and try to unite because it is better to have a platform that is tested rather than trying to go solo or going in segment t pursue our course and at the end of the day, all of us will then suffer.
“A worker today is a potential pensioner tomorrow and as NLC, we have taken your plight to be very core in the defence of workers right. If is very clear in our constitution that you take the issue of the worker and the pensioner side by side and we will do that.
“The issue of payment of benefits in Nigerian has become a nightmare and both of the pension schemes we are operating today have come under serious challenge. The payment of benefits as and when due is seriously an issue that need to be consider d because presently pensioners under the contributory pension scheme go through serious stages to get paid their benefits.
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Ogun pays N1.7b to 685 pensioners
The Ogun State government yesterday released N1.7billion for the payment of gratuity to 685 pensioners.
This formed part of the N6 billion earlier approved by Governor Ibikunle Amosun for pensioners in December from the Paris Club refund.
The government had disbursed N1.5billion to the first batch of retirees from July to December 2012.
The N6 billion was earmarked for gratuities for 2,429 retirees from the state civil service from November 2012 till January 2014.
Head of Service Abayomi Sobande, who addressed beneficiaries at Oke -Mosan Governor’s Office, said this was in fulfilment of government’s pledge to pay outstanding gratuities in batches.
Sobande lauded them for their patience and understanding. -
Fed Govt takes civil service pensioners’ verification to Bayelsa, Rivers
The Federal Government has announced the start of the next phase of the verification and biometric capture of civil service pensioners in the South South States of Rivers and Bayelsa.
A statement by the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in Abuja indicated that the verification exercise will take place in Port-Harcourt, to cover pensioners in Rivers State and in Yenagoa, to cover pensioners for Bayelsa on the 16th of this month.
PTAD had earlier concluded verification of civil service pensioners from the North-West and South-East zones of the country in 2015.
As a follow up, pensioners in the North East states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba were recently verified, between November 28 and December 6, 2016.
The directorate said apart from identifying ghost pensioners and putting a stop to fraudulent payments, the exercise has facilitated the restoration of monthly pension payments to genuine pensioners previously removed from the payroll, including those who had never been paid any pension or gratuity.
“4,438 pensioners verified in the North-west and South-East who were hitherto not receiving their pension, were payrolled in November, 2016 and their pension and arrears paid,” the statement said.
The statement indicated that pensioners are expected to come along with the original and photocopies of their relevant retirement credentials for the upcoming exercise as will be published in national dailies and announced on television and radio stations.
“PTAD is equally aware of the sick and infirm pensioners. They are advised to contact PTAD at the centres to enable the mobile verification team reach their homes/hospitals for biometrics,” the statement said.
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Lagos pays N125.9b to pensioners in nine years
Lagos State government has paid N125.941 billion to pensioners in the state in nine years, Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke has said.
He made this known in his keynote address at the 11th Retirement Benefit Documentation Seminar for Lagos State Public Service employees due to retire from January to June, 2017.
According to him, the state government in last 16 months under Governor Akinmunmi Ambode’s administration has paid N21.929 billion as accrued pension rights to 5,027 retirees.
He stated that as at November 2016, accrued pension rights of about N55. 941 billion had been paid to 12,426 retirees since the commencement of payment of entitlements in the CPS dispensation.
The state government is also committed to the regular contribution of the monthly deduction of 7.5 per cent from every employee and the employer’s 7.5 per cent, adding that the total contributions remitted to the Pension Fund Administrators ( PFAs) from April, 2007 is about N70 billion as at October, 2016.
To bridge the gap in the inadequacy of the funding rate recommended in the Pension Reform Law and for the year 2016, he said the Governor Ambode has approved a pension bailout fund of N6.5b.
He said while there are still some backlogs of pension payment to be cleared, the state is committed and hence all hands are on deck to ensure entitlements are promptly paid.
Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Mrs Folashade Onanuga added that the state government remains the only state that is up to date in monthly remittance of contributions into employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs).
She said: “The state has not shirked in her responsibilities and commitment to the regular funding of employees’ RSA. We remain the only state that has also not reneged in the funding of the Retirement Benefit Redemption fund and Pension Sinking Fund accounts.
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PTAD registers 4,370 pensioners
The Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has captured the biometrics of 4,370 pensioners.
Also, about 9,000 pensioners have been weeded out of the pension payroll for not having Bank Verification Number( BVN).
A statement in Abuja by PTAD said: “PTAD has recorded a huge milestone in the North-East following the outcome of the verification exercise of Civil Service pensioners carried out by the agency in four states in the zone.
”In the verification exercise which covered Taraba, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe, the Directorate was able to capture the biometrics of 4,370 pensioners, a figure which represents about 75 percent of the projected number of pensioners in those four states. This was contained in the interim report from the zone.
“The team which was personally headed by the indefatigable Executive Secretary of the Directorate Sharon Ikeazor, travelled through the four states within a week to carry out the exercise.
“Those who did not have Bank Verification Number (BVN) during the exercise, were given on-the-spot assistance to the banks to obtain their BVN in line with the transparency initiative of the Executive Secretary, who is determined to weed out ghost pensioners from the books and records of the Agency.
“The Directorate also visited the hospitals to capture those who were indisposed.”
The agency claimed that it had weeded out about 9,000 pensioners who did not have their BVN details.
The statement quoted Ikeazor as saying: “We are not only determined to clean up the books in line with the zero-tolerance initiative of the President, we are poised to remove the negative perception which the Directorate has suffered before this new administration.
“We will continue to insist that the right things are done in a manner that will enhance the operations of the Directorate to meet its core mandate to pensioners.
“The Agency’s “intention is primarily to ensure that no one pensioner is left out in the exercise. We try as much as possible to go the extra mile in ensuring that every eligible pensioner is captured in our database.
“That is the only way to ensure equity and all-inclusiveness”. According to her, “pension right is human right. It is not a favour for the average pensioner but a right which is guaranteed in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
It added that arrangements were already in place to “carry out the verification exercise of Borno and Yobe states which were earlier delayed.”
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Pensioners to get arrears in 2017
The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, has said New Nigerian and Nigeria Railway pensioners would be paid their pension arrears in the first quarter of 2017.
Speaking with reporters, Ikeazor said the issue relating to the New Nigerian pensioners has been resolved and the pensioners would be included in the pension scheme early next year.
She said she held meeting with the management of New Nigerian Newspaper where she informed them about the new development regarding the issue.
Ikeazor, who was in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, to monitor the ongoing verification of federal pensioners, said she was impressed with the conduct of the exercise, adding that it was aimed at addressing difficulties faced by pensioners nationwide. She also said special arrangement would be made in order to conduct the verification exercise for federal pensioners in Yobe and Borno states because of the insecurity problem.
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Come to our aid, pensioners plead with Buhari
Pensioners in Ondo State have urged the federal and state governors to priortise their welfare in order to alleviate their suffering after serving the country meritoriously in various capacities.
They urged the relevant bodies to allow them live decent life before their death, especially during the current economic recession.
The National President of Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) Dr Abel Afolayan, the Ondo State Chairman of the Union, Chief Raphael Adetuwo, Chairman, Ondo State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Mrs. Bosede Daramola and other stakeholders spoke during the inauguration of the N250 million modern complex of the union in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
“The structure we are inaugurating was initiated sometime in 2014. That it took such a relatively short time to reach this level is highly commendable. Therefore, we praise the state chairman, Chief R.A Adetuwo and all members of the executive and all pensioners in the state.
“We salute Governor Olusegun Mimiko, because the laudable achievements by pensioners were recorded during his administration.
However, they urged Governor Mimiko to pay entitlements of all pensioners before his exit on February 24, next year.
Afolayan listed some challenges facing the members throughout the federation which include lack non-review of pension contrary to the provision of Section 173 (3) and Section 210 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.
He also said the problem of e-payment made it difficult for some of the members to access payment from 2009 till date. He added that some pensioners’ names have been deliberately deleted from the payroll on the false premise that they are ghost pensioners.
He said: “There are many pensioners who were bio-metrically verified, captured and enrolled between June and July 2010 and were issued dud cheques which they could not cash. There are thousands of pensioners who are owed several months pension, with many of them still having their gratuities unpaid.
“We are in constant dialogue with the National Assembly, especially through the House Committee on Pension. This is with a view to ensuring compliance with the constitutional provisions on review of pension, on harmonisation and speedy payment of the balance of 18 months of the arrears of 33 per cent pension increase.
The NUP President said the union is currently in the process of compiling the total amount owed all pensioners, the total indebtedness to all pensioners in each of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, adding that as soon as they have the figures, the union would publicise them.
The Ondo State Chairman of NUP, Chief Raphael Adetuwo praised the Ondo NLC Chairperson, Mrs Daramola who stood by them during their hard times.
Adetuwo lamented that the Federal Government’s pensioners have been wallowing in poverty since 2010 as a result of erroneous Federal Government’s verification exercise that short paid some pensioners and considered as ghost those whose names were consequently expunged from the pay roll.
He noted that the Federal Government has not conducted fresh verification exercise to correct the anomalies.
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Reforms will ease pensioners’ hardship, says Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday assured that his administration’s reforms will ensure that Nigerians who spent the productive years of their lives serving the nation will not experience difficulties in getting their pensions.
He gave the assurance at a meeting with Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, the Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) at the State House, Abuja.
He directed a speedy completion of the ongoing nationwide verification of pensioners.
Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stressed that the exercise was necessary because the success of the administration’s goal of putting in place an efficient pension scheme hinged on the availability of a reliable database.
In a presentation to the President, Barrister Ikeazor said the PTAD management was determined to restore dignity to pensioners by protecting their funds and paying their entitlements promptly.
The Executive Secretary also said that in line with the anti-corruption posture of the current administration, the PTAD has put measures in place to ensure accountability, compliance with regulations and zero-tolerance for corruption.