Tag: PTAD

JIMAH: Good day, my name is Jimah. I retired from the University of Benin in September 1996 on EUSS G.L. 7.

 As at January 2015, my monthly pension was N32,914.65 and rose to N49,586.57 2018 due to the minimum wage increase. 

 But, surprisingly by October 2023, my pension was reduced to N32,728.08 less than that of 2015 or N32,914.65 without explanation. The difference is N16,858.49. I appeal to PTAD to pay me the difference from October 2023 till date. Thank you.

CHUWUEKE: Good day, I want to remain anonymous. My complaint is about Chuwueke’s pension arrears. He retired during the staff ratification at NSITF since April 29, 2005. He has not received his pension arrears till date. Please, help him.

ANONYMOUS: Hello, I would like to know how I can do verification for one of our members who has not done it before. How do I carry out the process? Thank you.

MRS EMILIA: Dear Omobola, my complaint is about the deduction of N15,000 from my monthly pension effective October 2023 till date. I retired from the Centre for Management Development (CMD). I participated in the “I Am Alive” Confirmation and I have my verification number.

Please, assist me to get refunds and stop further deductions.

DUROJAYE: Hello, my name is Durojaye. My complaint is on the short-payment of my federal pension.

With reference to PTAD’s message on October 24, 2023, demanding that I send my bank statements from  2015 till date, the bank has agreed to do so and I have sent them to PTAD through your email address.

Upon receiving them, please, expedite action without further delay.

ONIPEDE: Hello, I am Onipede, a NIPOST retiree. I was surprised to see the deduction made by PTAD from October 2023, as I was not put on the correct payment schedule for parastatals.

In 2019, we attended a verification, which had no effect on our monthly pension till date.

Also, in 2019, the Federal Government released a circular on new Table of Consequential Adjustment in pension arising from the implementation of the national minimum wage, 2019 effective date April 18, 2019.

But, it has not be effected till this moment.

Meanwhile, NIPOST retirees are having a peculiar issue which  affects what we received as gratuity and monthly pension – this was grievous on us.

In conclusion, I want to know, first of all, what PTAD has done on the short-payment, since it was confirmed that we retired in February 2007 with payslips as a proof.

Secondly, why has PTAD refused to implement the correct monthly pension for parastatal retirees.

Thirdly, what was the cause of the recent deduction from October 2023, which was done indiscriminately because it made my junior receive more than me.There is also disparity on same grade level officers.

ANIMASAUN: My name is Animasaun. This is to thank The Nation management for the good job you have been doing in solving pensioners complaints.

I retired from the Centre for Management Development (CMD) in December 1996 on Grade Level 14 (USS13).

Since then, CMD has been paying my pension until 2017 when PTAD took it over and added other CMD retirees.

In October 2023, PTAD reduced my pension by almost 40 per cent without any explanation.

I complained to my former organisation about this. Its Pension Desk Officer contacted PTAD about this. She was told to tell the affected pensioners to contact Mr Yusuff of PTAD on telephone number 08025011634 for assistance.

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I contacted Mr Yusuff. He told me to wait for a letter that explains the reasons and breakdown of the pension computation, leading to pension reduction before I make any complaint. I waited till almost the end of November, but there was no letter from PTAD.

Later, I learnt that PTAD has asked the affected pensioners to visit any PTAD office in their state to collect the letter.

I went to PTAD office at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos for my  letter. Unfortunately, the officer in-charge told me that he was not aware of such a letter.

However, he called Mr Kabiru in PTAD Abuja about the letter.

To my surprise, Mr Yusuff replied that PTAD had not written any letter to the affected pensioners on why their pensions were reduced.

This is contrary to what the Executive Secretary of PTAD said when he addressed members of one pension union

He had said most of the letters dispatched to the affected pensioners were returned.

My request is that I want The Nation to help me, so that PTAD can send the letter that gives a breakdown of the pension computation that led to my  pension being reduced by almost 40 per cent.

The letter can be sent to PTAD’s office in Lagos for me to collect it or to my address. THE NATION: The newspaper will send the complaints of JIMAH, CHUWUEKE, MRS EMILIA, ONIPEDE, and ANIMASHAUN to PTAD. Watch out for its response to you on the Pension page on Wednesdays.  

No fewer than 5,000 ‘fake  pensioners’ under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), who refused to embrace the “I Am Alive” confirmation platform of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), have been removed from the payroll of the Nigeria Police Force, The Nation has learnt.

This followed the refusal of the  affected pensioners to go for verification.

PTAD stopped the payment of their pension at end of last month.

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Also, the agency has stopped paying 2,649 fake pensioners at the Customs, Nigeria Immigration Service and Prisons.

However, the PTAD is yet to remove the 43,000 fake civil servant pensioners that were also uncovered.

This is because the executives of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) intervened and asked for more time. PTAD graciously granted the union one month before taking action.

Sources said the agency has saved over N100 billion from the discovery of the ‘fake pensioners’.

GOSHWE: Good day sir. I am Inspector Goshwe, a retiree. My phone has been bad for over eight weeks. I repaired it in November 2023 and discovered that I should have completed the second phase of “I’M ALIVE” process before November 10, 2023.

  I rushed to a computer friend to do the process but when trying to take my photo, it showed ‘no network’.

 Please, what can I do to complete the process? Will my pension be paid as usual? I am deaf.

  Kindly help me.

PTAD: Mr Goshwe is advised to visit any of our State Liaison Office close to him.

OLUSOLA: My name is Olusola, a retired Sergeant. I retired in 1994. I learn that PTAD has harmonised the pension allowance of IGP, DIGs, and AIGs and left CPs to rank and file. Please, what is the correct position on this? Thank you.

PTAD: The Directorate is yet to receive any directive on the harmonisation from the relevant authority.

ADEWALE: Good day. My name is Adewale, a Cyber Cafe operator in Ado Ekiti. Many retirees come to my business centre for ‘I AM Alive‘ verification. Many are successful but some were not after about five attempts to take their picture before it locked up.

The finger verification is also not working.

Kindly help me to know how to go about the finger verification. Thank you.

PTAD: We have contacted Mr. Adewale directly.

AKPAN: Good day. My name is Akpan. I am one of the retired officers of Customs in 2007. We were under Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Office (CIPPO) before PTAD took over.

Before the takeover, I had CIPPO arrears of pension from 2007 to 2009, even though my colleagues of equivalent ranks of level 09 step 13 were paid.

But, my CONPASS arrears of gratuity amounting to N 1,582,182.36 were not paid to me, yet my colleagues were paid. 

The arrears were prepared along with others and sent to AGF office (Deputy Director, Special Duties), whose duty it is to pay to our bank accounts.

I have sent my complaint and the relevant documents to PTAD through their email since in July, 2023, yet no reply until now.

Please, I need your help. Thank you.

PTAD: Mr. Akpan has been contacted directly. He is to send his bank statement for the period for resolution of the complaint.

ADESIYAN: My name is Adesiyan. I did my Pensioner Identity Verification on January 12, 2024, and the outcome was successful as I got a verification number.

But to my surprise I got another message instructing me to process my ‘I’M ALIVE’ again yesterday, which I did immediately.  The Verification outcome onJanuary 31, 2024 is successful too with another verification number. Please note for your actions. The above  verifications were on fingerprint. Thank you.

PTAD: Please, disregard any text message asking you to verify that you are still alive before the six-month period expires.

ABUHl Good day. I was still being short paid up as at January 2024. Please, help me as you have been helping me.

PTAD: Pensioner is not reachable via phone.

OLUJAFADE: My name is Olujafade. I retired 1986 on grade level 9 promoted to level 10 and advanced to level 12 because of my grade one academic and diploma university which I did successfully. Promotion from level 9 to level 12 was not implemented before retirement.

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Kindly correct my arrears and pensions pay.

PTAD: Pensioner is not reachable via phone.

Retired Assistant Superintendent of Police Paul:  It is pertinent to note that the retired police officers in the PTAD were notified of ‘I AM ALIVE’ programme through website in 2023.

I was among those PTAD has sent text messages to do ‘I am Alive’ confirmation in October 2024. To this end, I was mandated to do it on October 20, 2024.

I got a text message again to do my ‘I’m Alive’ confirmation before February 10, 2024.

When I contacted some of my colleagues to know whether PTAD had sent such information to them, they said no.

With this, I became worried. I revisited the last ‘I’m ALIVE’ confirmation website I did and I was informed that the last one was done on October 20, 2023 would expire on April 20, 2024.

So, I want to know from PTAD the time limit for the confirmation. Should it be done instead of someone or a member of the staff calling indiscriminately and sending text messages?

PTAD: Please disregard any text message asking you to verify that you are still alive before the six-month period expires. AKINMUSAYO: Good day. My complaint is on my father who retired 19 years ago. He is yet to be paid gratuity. His name is Akinmusayo and he retired in May 2004 from the Ministry Defence.  PTAD: Computed and audited

MABINUORI: Good day, my name is Mabinuori. I received the sum of N181,000.50k on December 16, 1987 which is the part payment for my pension and since then I haven’t received the remaining benefit. Kindly treat this matter with urgency.

PTAD: To provide verification slip

Prior to the establishment of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and the commencement of operations in August 2013, the DBS administration under the old pension offices faced challenges.

These were an accumulation of negative incidents and inactions on the part of the old pension offices that resulted in the absence of a comprehensive database of pensioners, reports of ghost beneficiaries, allegations of pervasive fraud, administrative bottlenecks in accessing pension services, poor funding of pension liabilities, as well as poor delivery of service to pensioners.

 Executive Secretary, PTAD, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme made this known while accessing what the Directorate has achieved in about nine years.

For many years, she said, these challenges led to huge losses in government funds and, ultimately, denied many pensioners their pension benefits for decades.

Also, for some unfortunate pensioners, the pursuit of the payment of their entitlements cost them their lives.

To this end, she said PTAD’s operations and service delivery model was designed to reform the marred history of pension administration, and improve the provision of pension services to pensioners; some of whom are among the oldest retired government workers.

She said: “Accordingly, in the last decade of operation, PTAD has reformed and revolutionised pension administration using technology. It has embarked on service innovations that have been pro-active and intentional – automating and streamlining its core operational processes of verification, digitisation of pensioners employment records, computation of pension benefits, pension payments and complaints resolution.

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“This has included Biometric Verification of pensioners through field verification across the geo-political zones between 2015 and 2019; Building from scratch the first digitised, centralised, comprehensive and credible database of pensioners and their pension records under the Defined Benefit Scheme in Nigeria; Automated Computation (Calculation) of Pension Benefits; and Payroll due diligence and automated payment processes using the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System to preserve the sanctity of pension funds.

“Others are creation of a complaints resolution and management portal to support the client service management; set-up of an anti-corruption and transparency unit to prevent pension fraud; and deployment of mobile verification teams to ensure no qualified pensioner was left uncaptured. The mobile teams have visited over 80 different cities, towns and villages and countless hospitals across the entire nation in sometimes hazardous circumstances”, she noted.

Furthermore, Ejikeme said they launched a Service Charter – detailing PTAD’s service contract with pensioners and complaints resolution timelines.

“We also introduced the “I Am Alive” Confirmation solution to verify pensioners’ status of aliveness at regular intervals. PTAD has a dedicated, professional and highly motivated staff and a work culture that drives reform successes.’’

ADESIYAN: My name is Adesiyan. I did my verification in December 2023, was successful and I was issued a number. But to my surprise, I got a message instructing me to process my I’M Alive again, which I did immediately. The verification on January 31, 2024 was equally successful. Please, note for your actions. Thank you.

PTAD: Please, disregard any text message, asking you to verify that you are still alive before the six-month period expires.

ABUH: Good day, I am still being underpaid. Please, help me like you.

PTAD: Not reachable via phone.

OLUJAFADE: My name is Olujafade. I retired in 1986 on grade level nine, promoted to 10 and advanced to 12 because of my grade one academic and diploma university qualifications. But my promotion from nine to 12 was not implemented before retirement. Kindly correct and pay my arrears in gratuity and pensions.

PTAD: Not reachable via phone.

RTD ASSISTANT SUP ESSIEN: It is pertinent to know the time retired police officers under PTAD are required to carry out I Am Alive confirmation. I was among those who received text messages from PTAD to do I am Alive confirmation in October 2023. I was mandated to do it on October 20, 2023, I received another text message to do my Confirmation before February 10, 2024. When I  contacted some of my colleagues to know whether PTAD sent such information to them, they said no. Since then, I have been restless. I want to know from PTAD what the time limit for I Am Alive confirmation should be.

PTAD: Please, disregard any text message asking you to verify that you are still alive before the six-month period expires.

AKINMUSAYO: I am complaining on behalf of my father who retired 19 years ago from the Ministry of Defence but is yet to get gratuity.

PTAD: Computed and audited.

OLORUNMAIYE: Good day, I write on behalf of Olorunmaiye. I am making this complaint because he has tried the process the I’ Am Alive several times but yet to be successful.

In his recent verification, due to an error, they stated, “Account Number Not Correct”. This is the account he has been using for over 30 years and he used it in previous verification and was successful. Kindly help him.

PTAD: He should provide a verification slip.

OHAEKELEM: Good day, Omobola. I am new to your page. I was directed to check The Nation newspaper last Wednesday for answer to my inquiry.

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I bought the hard  newspaper last week and found no information. How do I follow up on recent event, posts and information?

PTAD: Advised to be specific with her complaint and include her account number

GOSHWE: Good day. I am Inspector Goshwe (rtd). My phone has been bad for over eight weeks. I repaired it in November 2023 and discovered that I should have completed the second phase of I am Alive  before November 10, 2023.

I rushed to a friend to help me. But when trying to take my photo, it  showed ‘no network’.

Please, what can I do to complete the process? Will my pension be paid as usual? I am deaf. Kindly help me.

PTAD: You are advised to visit any of our State Liaison offices close to him for assistance.

• NUP calls emergency meeting

Pensioners under the old pension scheme have expressed their disaffection with the Federal Government’s decision to scrap the Pension Transitional Directorate Arrangement (PTAD).

Recall that last Monday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Bola Tinubu, adopted the Orosanye Committee’s report on prunning the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

There was silence at the Directorate as many staff members were thrown into confusion on the way forward.

Top sources in the industry alleged that some civil servants at the Head of Service (HoS) office were behind the inclusion of PTAD as one of the agencies to be scrapped.

A top source claimed 44,720 civil servant pensioners and many others in the ministry and parastatals, who are fake, and have been penciled down to be dropped from the payroll in April, had been working behind the scene to pull PTAD down.

Another source said: “PTAD’s inclusion among agencies to be scrapped seems to be instigated by some bad elements in the civil service. I also believe that there is no due diligence on some agencies or parastatals listed. Imagine that NAPEP, which has been scrapped about 10 years ago, was mentioned among the new agencies be scrapped. I believe this is only a recommendation and hopefully, it will be reconsidered.’’                 

Also, another source said: “PTAD has stepped on the toes of fraudulent people in the system. Recently, PTAD has been removing fake pensioners from payroll, cut down on exaggerated pension and increase payments of pensioners that genuinely deserve it. Those who should get less started getting less while those that should get more started getting more.

“Some civil servants that are not able to infiltrate the pension payroll to put bogus payments are the ones that have instigated the addition of PTAD to be scrapped.’’

The National Union of Pensioners (NUP) has called an emergency meeting of its executive members.

Its President, Godwin Abumisi,  in an interview, expressed shock, stating that the scrapping of PTAD would create problems for them.

He said he had been inundated with calls for protest by pensioners in less than 24 hours that the news broke.

He believes that the government is making a mistake because no other agency, not even the Ministry of Finance, can handle pension administration the way PTAD has handled it.

“Before PTAD came on board, I remember that I used to take night bus  to Abuja for what the Head of Service called verification. Such verifications were designed to rip off pensioners at that time. We suffered a lot. Many people died on the way from their various locations to Abuja. So, PTAD’s establishment was a great relief to pensioners.

“Our fear is that we may begin to relive the experiences of the past where ministries treated the work of pension as they treated ministerial work and this would make pensioners to visit their office for one thing or the other. But now, we don’t visit PTAD office.

“They have everything in their platform such that they know all what is happening at a go. So, why remove PTAD?  This is coming as a rude shock to us.

“I have been inundated with protest by pensioners within in less than 24 hours that the news broke and I had to cut short my journey immediately to return to Abuja to call for meeting of National Executive Council (NEC) to decide the step to take. What we know is that we don’t want to have the old pension experience. Look at the parastatals under the Ministry of Finance. They cannot even handle them well, yet they want to add a big agency like PTAD. We are going to suffer heavily,” he stressed.

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A Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) pensioner in Ibadan, who refused to be named, said PTAD should not be scrapped, because  its officials are doing very well.

“I am receiving my monthly pension and I am happy. The thought of going back to the ministry, which will consequently reverse us to the old days is traumatising for me. The old days of pension system in Nigeria was oppressing.

“With the new days which began since the establishment of PTAD, we have been receiving our money with many records updated. Taking us back to the Ministry of Finance is taking us back to days of punishment and affliction.We appeal to President Tinubu to let PTAD stand on its own and not be transferred to the ministry,” he added.                                                                                                                                     

A senior official at PTAD, who does not want his name in print, said: “The enemies of the savings we are doing for the government are legion. They have succeeded. The Ministry people want to go back to the old ways.”