PTAD, others collaborate on pension payment

Matthew Otoijagha

There is a strong collaboration between the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), the Parastatals Pension Department, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the federation, Auditor General of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation and the National Assembly, the Deputy Director, Parastatals Pension Department, Kabiru Yusuf, has said.

He spoke during the ongoing verification of all pensioners of treasury funded parastatals, agencies and institutions under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), organised by PTAD in Lagos.

Yusuf, who was at the Ikeja Centre to monitor the process, stated that the strong collaboration has made it possible for PTAD to get appropriate funding towards continuous and consistent payment of monthly pension.

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He stated that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has consistently ensured that monthly pension is paid as and when due. He expressed excitement that the current administration has made regular payments of pension arrears and paid police officers that were granted pardon by virtue of the Biafra war, among others.

He said: “The directorate has so far verified about 6000 pensioners since the exercise begun on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, and the exercise runs till May 9, and I am assured that everyone that presents him or herself will be verified’’.

He added: “From the inception of the administration of President Buhari, there has not been one month of pension that has not been paid. It has always been paid on a regular and consistent basis. In addition, he has made regular payments of 33 months’ pension arrears. Also they have made payment to police officers that were granted pardon by virtue of the Biafran war. This was done close to 17 years after the presidential pardon was given to them.

“Agencies that were privatized by BPE, close to 30,000 of them of all the seven agencies that have not received any pension as at the last 12 years have been brought under the payroll. This is a reflection of the strong coordination that happened between our office, the ministry of finance, budget office, auditor general, accountant general, as well as the national assembly”.

He also said that the auditor who visited the Ikeja Centre on Monday showed satisfaction of the process adopted by PTAD for the verification. “The Auditor-General was impressed with the elaborate process we put in place which includes provision for internal audit and federal audit check. He recommended the same system to any form of agency that want to do any form of verification.

“He also assured PTAD of his 100 per cent support at any point in time. He said any system that does not guarantee transparency and accountability cannot ensure good governance, but the system that we have put in place ensures good governance and he is delighted”, he added.

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