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The Director, Pensioner Support Service Department, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, Mrs Nneka Obiamalu, has said the directorate paid N754bn to pensioners in seven years.
She stated this on Thursday, in Awka, during the PTAD’s South-East stakeholder’s engagement forum, aimed at updating and continuously enhancing the credibility of the existing database through its ‘I am alive’ confirmation solution.
Obiamalu said, “Some of the problems the organisation encountered, were aggressive nature of pensioners as a result of lack of trust and not knowing the identity of pensioners.
“PTAD had paid a total of N754bn to pensioners between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2022, as monthly pensions.”
The Executive Secretary, PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, assured pensioners that its ‘I am Alive’ confirmation solution would guarantee a solid database of pensioners and ensure regular payment of monthly pensions.
Ejikeme also expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would make pension payment a top priority in his government, to ensure senior citizens’ welfare were taken care of in Nigeria.
According to her, it was important to continuously enhance the existing database.
She explained that the solution was a mechanised and electronic filing system, put in place to safely store pensioners’ physical verification and departmental files, with a view to curbing physical presence and reducing the travelling time for pensioners.
According to her, PTAD’s determination to change the narrative as far as pension administration and payment under the Defined Benefits Scheme in Nigeria was concerned was irrevocable.
The pension boss added that the solution was introduced to make it faster and easier to recall pensioners’ files to reconcile and resolve any complaint.
She said PTAD could not afford to go back to the time when pensioners were being owed months of pension arrears under the Defined Benefits Scheme.
Ejikeme said, “At the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, we are aware of the importance of carrying our pensioners and stakeholders along in what we do, and this is why we organise this kind of forum to interact with you, keep you updated on our activities as well as our future plans, and most importantly, get your feedback.”
