TheNewsGuru

Tag: Retirees

  • Pension: Pay us our 3 months outstanding, senior citizens tell PTAD

    Pension: Pay us our 3 months outstanding, senior citizens tell PTAD

    …say those above 70yrs no longer receive pensions

    …after physical capturing

    …alleged only the connected get paid

    …we are paying in batches, PTAD source

    Retirees raise alarm over non-payment of accumulated three months pensions alleging that only those connected to the presidency get paid.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that despite being captured by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, since October only those connected to the presidency got their pensions paid.

    A probe into this development by TNG revealed that after the Directorate captured the retirees about four months ago, it stopped paying retirees above 70years.

    Their anger stemmed from the fact that the FG is deliberately paying those connected to the Federal Government.

    Some of the senior citizens who spoke to TNG under the condition of anonymity expressed worry that government is delibetely digging their graves because they are old.

    One of the senior citizens said” I have fulfilled all their requirements yet I don’t receive any alert since I completed the exercise.

    “What is government expecting me to feed on when I am still paying school fees of my children in tertiary institutions,” he wondered.

    Another who resides in Lagos said” I have done all that is required of me and no dime has been sent to my account since October last year.

    An Abuja based retiree who left service as a director had a catalogue of issues to grapple with as all her children are males.

    “I really wish I had a female child, do you know that you men once you marry it’s you and your wives you cater for and you abandon your aged parents.

    “This last Christmas my neighbor’s daughter sent bags of rice but none of my sons living large with their families sent me a grain of rice.

    “I am above 70 now, is government expecting me to die of hunger after serving for 35years, you see why some civil servants steal in this part of the clime,” she lamented.

    When the Directorate was contained by TNG, a source confirmed that payments were being made in batches to retirees and those that had not gotten should forward their six months statements of account and details of their physical capturing exercise to PTAD via email and physical presentation of such details.

    The source explained that”what actually affected the payment was this Covid 19 pandemic or the Directorate normally does not delay payments.

    On the allegation of using the presidency to collect payment, the source said”there’s nothing like that.

    On the website of the Directorate as at yesterday, retirees of NAHCO were advised to check the Sun newspaper of January 7th (yesterday) for their payments list as the Directorate is paying in batches.

    The Directorate was solely established to cater for retirees of both defunct government bodies and existing ones until their demise

    Section 42 of the PRA 2014 established the Pension Transitional Arrangements Directorate (PTAD) as part of the transitional arrangements for the public sector from the Defined Benefit Scheme. PTAD took over the functions of the various Pension Departments of the Public Service and is responsible for payment to existing retirees of the Federal Government that retired up to June, 2007 and thus exempted from the CPS. The Commission is empowered by Section 48 of the PRA 2014 to issue rules, regulations and directives to PTAD in order to ensure that retirees are being paid as and when due. PTAD shall cease to exist after the demise of the last pensioner entitled to pension under the Defined Benefit Scheme of the Public Service of the Federation.

  • PTAD: Our members are dying daily, retirees tell FG

    PTAD: Our members are dying daily, retirees tell FG

    …insist those above 70yrs no longer receive pensions

    …after physical capturing

    …alleged only the connected get paid

    …we are paying in batches, PTAD source

    Retirees raise alarm over non-payment of accumulated three months pensions alleging that only those connected to the presidency get paid.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that despite being captured by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, since October only those connected to the presidency got their pensions paid.

    A probe into this development by TNG revealed that after the Directorate captured the retirees about four months ago, it stopped paying retirees above 70 years.

    Their anger stemmed from the fact that the FG is deliberately paying those connected to the Federal Government.

    Some of the senior citizens who spoke to TNG under the condition of anonymity expressed worry that government is delibetely digging their graves because they are old.

    One of the senior citizens said” I have fulfilled all their requirements yet I don’t receive any alert since I completed the exercise.

    “What is government expecting me to feed on when I am still paying school fees of my children in tertiary institutions,” he wondered.

    Another who resides in Lagos said” I have done all that is required of me and no dime has been sent to my account since October last year.

    An Abuja based retiree who left service as a director had a catalogue of issues to grapple with as all her children are males.

    “I really wish I had a female child, do you know that you men once you marry it’s you and your wives you cater for and you abandon your aged parents.

    “This last Christmas my neighbor’s daughter sent bags of rice but none of my sons living large with their families sent me a grain of rice.

    “I am above 70 now, is government expecting me to die of hunger after serving for 35years, you see why some civil servants steal in this part of the clime,” she lamented.

    When the Directorate was contained by TNG, a source confirmed that payments were being made in batches to retirees and those that had not gotten should forward their six months statements of account and details of their physical capturing exercise to PTAD via email and physical presentation of such details.

    The source explained that”what actually affected the payment was this Covid 19 pandemic or the Directorate normally does not delay payments.

    On the allegation of using the presidency to collect payment, the source said”there’s nothing like that.

    On the website of the Directorate as at yesterday, retirees of NAHCO were advised to check the Sun newspaper of January 7th (yesterday) for their payments list as the Directorate is paying in batches.

    The Directorate was solely established to cater for retirees of both defunct government bodies and existing ones until their demise

    Section 42 of the PRA 2014 established the Pension Transitional Arrangements Directorate (PTAD) as part of the transitional arrangements for the public sector from the Defined Benefit Scheme. PTAD took over the functions of the various Pension Departments of the Public Service and is responsible for payment to existing retirees of the Federal Government that retired up to June, 2007 and thus exempted from the CPS. The Commission is empowered by Section 48 of the PRA 2014 to issue rules, regulations and directives to PTAD in order to ensure that retirees are being paid as and when due. PTAD shall cease to exist after the demise of the last pensioner entitled to pension under the Defined Benefit Scheme of the Public Service of the Federation.

  • Zamfara uncovers 119-year-old, 484 other retirees ‘ghost workers’ on payroll

    Zamfara uncovers 119-year-old, 484 other retirees ‘ghost workers’ on payroll

    A ghost worker who by the records had retired from the Zamfara state civil service has remained on the payroll and he is now 119 years old.

    The fictive centenarian is among 485 workers who were supposed to have gone on retirement but are collecting salaries.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Rabi’u Garba, disclosed this at a press briefing on Sunday in Gusau. He said the Matawalle government is determined to sanitise the payroll.

    The commissioner also said he confronted the incumbent deputy governor of the state, Mr Mahdi Ali-Gusau, over allegations on social media that the he was collecting double salary.

    According to him, the deputy governor denied the speculations and submitted self for further scrutiny to prove his innocence.

    The commissioner however said on further investigations, it was discovered that “some directors of finance were involved in the racket of inflating the state’s workers monthly wage bill and pocketing the excess”.

    He also revealed that the scam was more at the state Health Service Management Board (HSMB) where investigations showed that the suspended directors of finance were fraudulently selling out fake offers of employment at the cost of N250,000 to innocent job seekers.

    He added that the state government was so far losing more than N216 million monthly to the racketeers.

    Ali-Gusau lamented that “if utilised, the state government can employ an additional 8,000 persons and pay them salary” comfortably.

    The absurdity of the 119 year-old worker was not the only one raised by Garba.

    He also said the government will drag a total of 108 civil servants to court for allegedly receiving double salary in different ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the state.

    Garba said that the affected workers were discovered during the ongoing investigation of workers’ salary issues by the state’s ministry of finance.

    He said that the exercise, under the leadership of Governor Bello Matawalle, was not to witch-hunt anybody, but to ensure sanity in the civil service payroll in the state.

    “The affected workers found collecting more than one salary at different MDAs were among the 4,972 civil servants who were suspended from receiving salary for the month of December 2019 as a result of various irregularities.

    “We discovered these irregularities from the payroll of November 2019 salary in the state.

    “We have suspended the affected workers from collecting salary until we conclude the investigation,” Garba said.

    He said the 108 workers, who were collecting double salary, would be handed over to the state’s ministry of justice for prosecution.

    “We also found 109 workers whose official names are different from the names of their salary accounts.

    “We discovered irregularities from 1,640 workers whose account numbers are not found in the CBN server,” he said.

    “We also suspended the salary of 1,548 workers receiving salary under micro-finance banks because of various irregularities.

    “We have directed them to their MDAs for proper clearance,” he added.

    According to the commissioner, some of the MDAs involved in the salary irregularities in the state are Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata-Mafara, Arabic and Female Education Boards, Establishment and Hospital Service Management Board.

    “We have suspended the directors of finance of all the affected MDAs,” he explained.

    He urged the workers in the state to be patient with the state over any inconvenience which the verification exercise might have caused.

    Garba said anyone who needed clarification on the matter should visit the state ministry of finance in Gusau.

  • LASG pays N1.63b to 321 retirees in December

    LASG pays N1.63b to 321 retirees in December

    The Lagos State Government (LASG) on Friday said it had credited the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of 321 retirees with the sum of N1.63 billion for December.

     

    The Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, said this at the 70th Batch Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate presentation to some of the retirees in the state.

     

    Ponnle said that the state government was committed to ensuring that retirees get paid their terminal entitlements as and when due.

     

    She said that since the inception of the Contributory Pension Scheme( CPS) in the country, Lagos State has continued to be in the forefront of ensuring an efficient and effective pension scheme administration.

     

    “While salaries of active workers state wide are paid monthly, contributions into the RSAs of employees are also religiously remitted.

     

    “We are very resolute to forging ahead with the Contributory Pension Scheme.

     

    “The scheme is sustainable as it meets the challenges of the past pension scheme administration which being non-contributory relied totally on budgetary allocation of government.

     

    “I have obtained the commitment of the management of the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) that accrued rights will be remitted into retirees’ RSAs on a monthly basis,” she said.

     

    According to her, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, having served as Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions in 2007, understands clearly what pension means to a retiree; because ‘pension is the life wire of every retiree’.

     

    Ponnle stated that the governor upon assumption of office directed that pension obligations should be systematically cleared.

     

    The commissioner noted that employees were the greatest assets of Lagos State.

     

    She said that, that was why the government was committed to ensuring that they enjoy good conditions of service.

     

    It had also continued to ensure that their entitlements were paid when they exit from service, she said.

     

    “Let me reiterate that this administration is committed to ensuring that your service to the state will be rewarded with prompt payment of your terminal entitlemenents,” she said.

     

    In her welcome address, Mrs Folashade Onanuga, the Director General, LASPEC, said that the event was put together to celebrate the retirees and also present to them their Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates.

     

    Onanuga said the Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates would show the retirees access pension rights due to them for years spent in service of the state under the discontinued Pay As You Go Pension scheme.

     

    “Your RSA with your Pension Fund Administrator has religiously received into it monthly contributions from April 2007 when we transited to the Contributory Pension Scheme dispensation up to your month of exit.

     

    “However, your entitlements under the Pay As You Go Pension scheme must be fused into your RSA with your CPS contributions before computation of your lump sum and monthly pension can be calculated,” she said.

     

    She said that the fusion was achieved as the retirees were transiting into a future of financial independence.

     

    Onanuga noted that Lagos State had been consistent with its leadership role in the implementation of the CPS in line with the provisions of the Lagos State Pension Reforms of March 19, 2007, now amended.

     

    She also said that the proposal for the retirees to enjoy free transportation and health care had reached an advanced stage.

     

    She said hopefully it would be launched in the first quarter of Year 2020.

     

    The Director-General also lauded the unflinching support of the state approved the Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) and the insurance companies at ensuring that all the retirees have unrestrained access to their pension benefits.

     

    She urged the elder statesmen to take good care of themselves, saying health is wealth.

     

    She also advised them to desist from unimportant spendings and also to beware of pension fraudsters.

     

    The Lagos House of Assembly (LAHA) Committee on Establishment, Training and Pensions, promised that it would continue to enact laws and policies that would guarantee a good life for retirees.

     

    The committee’s Chairman, Mr Rasheed Makinde, said that the assembly would continue to give the governor the support he needed for regular release of pension funds.

     

    This was to ensure that the future look good and bright for the retirees, he said.

     

    “We are aware that there are still funding gaps, but these must be gaps arising from unforeseen liabilities that arise from those who died in service or withdrew early.

     

    “The most important thing for you to note is that we are aware of the gaps and the will to close it is there,’’ he said.

     

    Makinde also wished the retirees a pleasant retirement life.

     

    In a goodwill message, the Lagos State Head of Service,( HoS), Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola,said that the ceremony, organised for the pensioners, was one of government’s approaches to closely relate with them in a more relaxed atmosphere.

     

    “At gatherings such as this, nothing can be as stimulating as the nostalgic feelings and recollections of the ‘good-old-days,’ ” he said.

     

    Muri-Okunola was represented by Mr Samson Ajibade, the Permanent Secretary in Office of the Lagos State Head of Service.

     

    The HoS appealed to the pensioners to take the advice and counsel of schedule officers to heart dearly.

     

    “Ensure due diligence as well as proper planning in all expenditure you may need to make, particularly, in the areas of business and investment.

     

    “Please, endeavour to seek guidance and professional advice from the financial consultants and small business experts before taking decisions which can significantly impact on your families,’’ he said.

     

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government in November paid RSAs accrued pension rights of N1.5billion to 428 retirees.

     

    The ceremony also featured Christmas Carol from the LASPEC Voices in the spirit of the season.

  • 900 Nigeria Airways retirees die awaiting pensions

    900 Nigeria Airways retirees die awaiting pensions

    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.

  • Breaking: Ambode releases N795 million to retirees

    Another batch of Public Service Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme has been paid N795 million as accrued pension rights for the month of September 2018 by the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led Lagos State Government.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Dr. Akintola Benson-Oke, the State Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments Training and Pensions, made this known on Wednesday while addressing retirees at the 55th Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate Presentation Ceremony held in Ikeja, capital of the State.
    According to Akintola, 9,804 retirees have so far received accrued pension rights of N40,245 billion into their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) from the inception of the Ambode-led administration.
    He reiterated that despite the huge funding obligations of the Contributory Pension scheme, Governor Ambode is committed to the well-being of the pensioners in retirement, stressing that, for this reason, funds are released monthly into the Retirement Savings Account of employees and also accrued rights of retirees are paid to enable them have access to their RSA.
    Earlier, the Director-General, LASPEC, Mrs. Folasade Onanuga said that the State Government appreciates the retirees’ service to the State and wishes them well.
    She also educated the retirees on the move by the National Pension Commission to fulfil the provisions of the Pension Law on guaranteed Minimum Pension for life for retirees under the Programmed Withdrawal benefit option.
     

  • Pension: Lagos state retirees get N466.86m payment

    The Lagos State Government has again credited N466.855m to the Retirement Savings Accounts of 187 of its retirees, including those of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), under the Contributory Pension Scheme for the month of July 2018.

    The State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson-Oke, who disclosed this recently, stated that in spite of the scarcity of funds, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode prioritises the payment of pensioners by making sure funds are released every month for payment of their entitlements.

    He said the present administration had so far paid more than N38.5 billion to 9,401 retirees.

    The Director-General, LASPEC, Mrs. Folasade Onanuga in her welcome address said that the Lagos State Government will continue to play the ‘mother-hen’ role, by ensuring the regular payment of pension benefits to retirees as at when due.

    Onanuga used the opportunity to advise retirees on the importance of putting their houses in order for any eventuality by making sure they write their WILL whilst they are still active, imploring them to also be active in retirement, to sustain their good health.

     

  • Nasarawa increases retirees’ pension to N5,000

    The Director-General of Nasarawa State Pension Bureau, Mr. Abdullahi Sani-Oseze, said on Saturday the state government has increased the minimum pension of retirees to N5, 000.

    Sani-Oseze, who disclosed this in Lafia, said government made the adjustment in order to make life more meaningful for pensioners in the state.

    He said some workers, who retired from active service before the implementation of minimum wage in the state, were receiving as low as N1, 000 as their monthly pension.

    Sani- Oseze said: “So we consider the plight of this category of pensioners and reported to Governor Umaru Al-Makura, who directed that there should be an upward review of their pensions.

    “No pensioner today in the state receives less than N5, 000 as his monthly pension.”

    He said the Bureau had taken measures to address issues of some pensioners, who had not benefited from any payment since the inception of Al-Makura’s administration in 2011.

    He said the agency had, through the media, directed that any pensioner, who had not received any payment since A-Makura came on board, should come to the Bureau’s office with necessary documents.

    “We have given them one week to come forward with their documents and the response has been impressive.

    “Those who were unable to come as at December 22 can still bring their documents after Christmas; we will still attend to them,” the pension bureau chief said.

  • Accrued pension debt: LASG approves N711m for 287 retirees in September

    The Lagos State Government has disbursed the sum of N711 million as pension payments for the month of September.

    The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) in a statement on Monday by its Head of Public Affairs Unit, Mrs Basirat Lawal, said the N711 million was released to pay 287 retirees for that month.

    LASPEC said Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode, was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr Akintola Oke, at the Retirement Bond Certificates Presentation on Sept. 29.

    “The Agency in the month of September also released Insured death benefit cheques amounting to about N32 million to nine beneficiaries and next-of-Kin of deceased employees,’’ it stated.

    Ambode reiterated in the statement that Lagos State was committed by being up-to-date in Pension payments, and the administration advised the retirees not to live extravagantly.

    The statement quoted Ambode as saying that he has embarked on massive infrastructural development in the state that would, however, give great priority to those who have laboured and were now retired.

    “I understand the challenges facing the retirees and that the receipt of their pension dues will enable them face the future, as well as other goodies in the pipeline,’’ Ambode said.

    The Director-General of LASPEC, Mrs Folashade Onanuga, in the statement also advised the pensioners to spend wisely.

    “If you are in the evening time of your life, make sure you rest well, and do not do anything that will aggravate your health status.

    “Use your pension for your basic needs and make sure you eat well and in moderation.

    “The current economic challenges have affected the ability of youths to gain employment, such that in essence, many youths who should be taking care of themselves and their parents are still depending on them.

    “I also advise the retirees to consider using the lump sum received to empower any resourceful child to start a family business, which could end up creating jobs for others,’’ Onanuga added.