A member of the Ministerial Committee on the verification of payment of retired Nigeria Airways workers ,Captain Shu’aibu Alfa, revealed yesterday that 900 retirees have so far died nationwide since 2004.
Alfa, who is the Supervisor, Kano Verification Centre, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that there are three centres where the ongoing verification exercise for the Nigeria Airways retirees are being conducted.
He said during the 15 years, no fewer than 900 of the retirees died, while the medical cases of some of them became worse, homes were broken and some were in situations beyond human imagination.
“The verification exercise has been going on very well; we made sure retirees were former staff of Nigeria Airways and we have their records,” he said.
“We ask questions and when they are certified, we clear them to start the verification process.
“In the verification team, we have people from the Ministry of Aviation, Ministry of Finance, Accountant General’s Office, Head of Service, EFCC, ICPC, PITAD and we also have our representatives on each desk,” Alfa said.
Alfa, who was the Secretary, Nigeria Airways Pilots Association, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Aviation and the Minister of Transportation, for approving the payment of their long awaited entitlement.
He also commended the support of the traditional rulers, religious leaders, political leaders and many other well-meaning Nigerians.
Tag: Pensions
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900 Nigeria Airways retirees die awaiting pensions
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Delta Govt. approves 33 per cent increase on pensions
The Delta Government has approved 33 per cent increase on the pensions of retired workers in the state, bringing them at par with those received by retirees in the federal civil service.
The state Commissioner for Information, Chief Patrick Ukah, disclosed this to newsmen in Asaba on Wednesday.
Ukah said the increment was part of the resolutions reached at the State Executives Council meeting on Tuesday.
He said those to benefit from the 33 per cent increment were those who retired before May 2000, adding that it was meant to ameliorate the sufferings of the pensioners.
The commissioner said that the council approved the contract for the completion of the perimeter fencing of Asaba International Airport.
“The council also approved the procurement of third party services for the development of gas-based industrial park in Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area (LGA).
“Another approval is the contract for the construction of 32 cluster houses of two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows at Oboghoro-Utolina communities in Warri North LGA,” he said.
He said also that the council approved the award of contract for the construction of Uzougba link road to Issele Uku and Otulu road in Ubulu Okiti of Aniocha South.
Ukah said others approved were contracts the construction of old Okpe road, Jeddo, Okpe Local Government Area and Ogwefe-Ugbenu-Koko road Phase II, Oghara, Ethiope West.
The commissioner said the contract for the construction of an access road to the Nigerian Maritime University, Kurutie Campus, Okerenkoko in Warri South-West LGA was also approved
He said the council approved the implementation of an automation of tax administration process by ICMA Professional Services which would commerce this month.
Uka said further that the council approved the appointment of three traditional rulers in the state including Obi Lawrence Onicha Kogwu as the Obi of Ubulubu in Aniocha North.
“It approved the appointment of Obi Onyemaechi Josiah Jonathan II Kanyinaga as the Obi of Obomkpa in Aniocha North, Ukah said.
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Delta Assembly approves appointment of 2 nominees
The Delta House of Assembly on Wednesday screened and approved nominees for appointment of chairman and secretary of the State Bureau of Local Government Pensions.
The screening and approval of the nominees followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Mr Tim Owhefere, and was seconded by Mr Daniel Yingi, representing Burutu I Constituency in the Assembly, during plenary in Asaba.
The motion for the approval of the nominees for the appointments was unanimously adopted by the Assembly, when it was put to voice vote by the Speaker, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori.
Mr Benjamin Igo, a retired Permanent Secretary is to be chairman, while Dr Frank Atube, former Director of Personnel Management, got the nod as secretary.
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta had earlier sent the names of the nominees to the House of Assembly for screening and approval.
The Assembly also adjourned plenary until Sept. 25.
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LASG disburse N1.2bn pension payments
The Lagos State Government (LASG) has disbursed about N1.2 billion as pension payments of 286 retirees for December.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Retirement Bond Certificates Presentation on Wednesday, said his administration within the limited resources, innovated and ensured prompt payments of the pension obligations.
The governor was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr Akintola Oke.
According to Ambode, prioritising pensioners’ welfare has moral, economic and social ramifications.
He emphasised that it was such holistic view on “Pension obligations’’ that could put efforts directed at its managements and promotion achievable.
“All governments and persons of goodwill ought to know that it is morally reprehensible for an employer to neglect benefits of its employees who gave the prime of their active years serving.
“Thankfully, this is an area where the LASG, through the instrumentality of Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), has demonstrated its moral compass.’’ Oke said.
Giving the state’s figure on pension performance, he said from August 2015 to December 2017, over N33 billion accrued pension rights had been paid to 8,262 retirees.
“Accrued Pension Rights previously paid before the current administration from 2010-2015 amounted to N33,645 billion to 7,409 employees.
“Therefore, since the commencement of the Retirement Benefit Bond Certification Presentation (RBBCP) in 2010, the state has paid accrued Pension Rights of over N66.6 billion to 15,671 retirees.’’
Oke said that the government was also much committed to the regular contribution of the monthly deduction of 7.5 per cent from the salary of every employee.
The Director-General of LASPEC, Mrs Folashade Onanuga, said that Ambode’s administration would continuously bolster the socio-economic well-being of citizens in spite of the pension liabilities on the state.
According to the LASPEC DG, government, through the commission, had paid 104 named beneficiaries of deceased employees in the Mainstream Civil Service.
“Insurance benefits of N325 million from August 2015 till date has been paid.
“This insured benefit is by law to be paid to the named beneficiaries to alleviate the immediate needs of the family,’’ she said.
She explained that within two years and six months, 28 RBBCPs had been held.
“The total number of beneficiaries within the 30 months is 8,262.’’
She advised pensioners to be wary of pension fraudsters, take very good care of their health and desist from spending on frivolities, among others.
She said more innovations were introduced into the state’s pension Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure, to ensure pension operations were seamless and less cumbersome.
Thenewsguru reports that the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, attended the events.
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SERAP sues Nigerian govt over senators, ministers’ life pensions
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Federal Government over its “failure to stop former governors and now serving senators and ministers from receiving double pay and life pensions, and failure to seek recovery of over N40bn of public funds unduly received by these public officers.”
The suit number FHC/L/CS/1497/17 filed Friday at the Federal High Court Ikoyi, followed the organization’s request to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN urging him to stop former governors from enjoying emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their positions as senators and ministers.The suit brought pursuant to Order 34, Rules 1 and 3 of the Federal High Court Rules 2009 and the inherent jurisdiction of the court argue that “Public function should be exercised in the public interest. Double emoluments promote private self-interest or self-dealing.”
The suit brought pursuant to Order 34, Rules 1 and 3 of the Federal High Court Rules 2009 and the inherent jurisdiction of the court argues that, “Public function should be exercised in the public interest. Double emoluments promote private self-interest or self-dealing.”
“By signing double emoluments laws, which they knew or ought to know that they would be beneficiaries, these former governors have abused their entrusted positions, and thereby obtained an undue advantage, contrary to article 19 of the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”
The suit is seeking the following reliefs:
AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for Judicial Relief and to seek an order of Mandamus directing and or compelling the Respondent to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, who are now senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices; and to identify those involved and seek full recovery of public funds from the former governors.
AND for such order or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.The organization is also arguing that “Senators and ministers should not be receiving salaries and pensions running into billions of naira from states that are currently unwilling or unable to pay their workers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements. National and international laws implicitly forbid public officials entrusted with public resources from granting to themselves emoluments for life while serving in other public offices including as senators and ministers.”
The suit read in part: “Taking advantage of entrusted public offices and positions to enact laws to grant double emoluments and large severance benefits to serving public officials amounts to not only an abuse of office but also incorrect, dishonourable and improper performance of public functions, as per the provisions of paragraph 2 of article 8 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.”
“By virtue of Sections 150 and 174 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 26 (2) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, the Respondent as the Chief Law Officer of the country and the defender of public interest is constitutionally and statutorily empowered to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person in Nigeria in respect of any offence created by or under any Act of the National assembly in superior courts in Nigeria.”
“The Federal Government has a responsibility to stop former governors from receiving double pay at the expense of workers and pensioners. This position is buttressed by article 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Laws of Treaties, which provides that no state can justify the noncompliance with an international treaty with reference to internal law, including even the constitution.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
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Fashola, Fayemi, Ngige say they no longer receive pensions from their states
Three former governors – current ministers have said that they no longer receive pensions from their state governments.
The ministers are Babatunde Fashola (Power, Works and Housing); Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment) and Kayode Fayemi (Mines and Steel Development).
Fashola, a former governor of Lagos State, said he did not receive any pension from Lagos State. According to his Special Adviser on Communications, Hakeem Bello, the minister recently made it clear that he (Fashola) had no reason to ask the Lagos State Government to stop paying him a pension when from the outset he never accepted it.
When asked if he would also ask the Lagos State Government to stop paying him pension, just like the Senate President, Bukola Saraki did, Bello replied, “The minister spoke on Hard Copy, a programme on Channels TV on Friday. In that programme, he said you don’t ask them (Lagos State Government) to stop what you never accepted in the first place.
“This your question was one of the questions they asked him during that TV programme and what I told you was his response.” Ngige of Anambra also denied receiving double entitlements from the federal and state governments.
Ngige said that the petition by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in which he was mentioned only showed that proper investigation was not carried out before his inclusion as a beneficiary of double pay from the government or it was inspired by mischief.
Ngige denied drawing double emoluments from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government or the Anambra State Government since he was elected and appointed at various times into public offices contrary to media reports.
He said, “I wish to put it on record that since I left office in 2006 as governor of Anambra State; throughout the four years I spent in the 7th Senate (June 2011-2015) and currently as the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment with effect from November 11, 2015, I have never drawn a dime even in the intervening period that I was not in public office, as salary, emolument and pension from the Anambra State Government’s coffers.
“In fact, I have not received any severance benefit as prescribed in the Anambra State House of Assembly law on pensions and other welfare and benefits for former governors and deputy governors, 2006, and amended 2013. Aside the two utility vehicles were given to me some years ago, I have not accessed any of the privileges and other lawful trappings due to the office.
“It is worth stating for the avoidance of any doubt that the Supreme Court affirmed that I was entitled to these benefits in their landmark judgment in Mike Balonwu and others Vs Anambra State Government, which declared me governor, de facto and de jure between 2003 and 2006.”
Also, Ekiti’s Fayemi said he had not even received his severance package from the Ekiti State Government as approved by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission since leaving office in 2014. In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Yinka Oyebode, Fayemi, who is now Minister of Mines and Steel Development, said he had not received any pension.
Fayemi had challenged SERAP to apologise to him for including his name among former governors receiving double remuneration or face legal action.
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Bindow approves N500million for payment of pension arrears
Governor Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa on Tuesday directed the state Pension Board to commence the payment of pension and gratuity arrears to pensioners in the state.
Bindow gave the directive while playing host to members of the board who paid him a courtesy call in Yola.
The governor expressed concern over the plights of the pensioners, saying that their challenges would soon become a thing of the past.
He urged the board to be prudent in the management of pension funds.
According to him, the delay in the payment of pensions was as a result of the negligence on the part of the previous administration which failed to remit funds for the payment of pensions.
He said that a committee was working out the modalities to migrate all pensioners to e-payment and end the challenges facing pensioners in the state.
Earlier, Alhaji Ahmadu Njidda, the Chairman of the board, commended the governor for approving N500 million for the payment of pension and gratuity arrears.
Njidda said the board would soon commence the payment of arrears owed from January 2017 till date, adding that the board was still screening the pensioners.
He urged the governor to increase the monthly allocation to the office to enable them to offset the accumulated arrears for more than 10,000 pensioners.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that the state government had earlier earmarked N1 billion for the payment of pension’s arrears from the first batch of the Paris Club refund.
TheNewsGuru.com also reports that while N500 million was allocated to the local government pension board, N500 million was also allocated to the state pension board for the payment of pension and gratuity arrears in the state.
NAN
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We don’t have funds to pay salaries, pensions – FG
The Federal Government on Thursday said the present economic recession has made it impossible for it to generate the needed funds to pay salaries and pensions of workers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies under its jurisdiction.
This was revealed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma, while fielding questions from members of the House of Representatives.
Udoma noted that half of the projected revenue in the 2017 budget is for salaries and pensions, but that funds to pay are not available.
Udoma disclosed that the Federal Government was making efforts towards resolving the issues relating to the welfare of workers and retirees.
Noting that a committee has been set up to address the issues, Udoma said the government would have to look for ways for creating funds to pay pension arrears.
Udoma said, “I ask for your understanding. In the 2017 budget, about half of our total projected revenues are for salaries and pensions but the resources are not there.
“Most of these categories are up to date, however there have been issues with reconciliation of the numbers.
“The president is extremely concerned about this. He has directed us to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible and a committee headed by the minister of finance should meet with all the relevant agencies and reconcile numbers.”