Don’t sweep Mayshak contribution under the carpet, say Pensioners

Pensioners in Nigeria and their next of kins have decried the suspension of the Executive Secretary and Director General of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, months ago by the Minister of finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

Although the minister had said the suspension was to give room for investigations of alleged corruption in PTAD under her watch, but pensioners have lamented a deterioration in the quality of verification exercise and payment since her exemption from office and have called for her reinstatement as they belief the suspension must have been done in error.

The pensioners who took to the agency’s  facebook page and other conventional forum to pen down their ordeals insist that the numerous contributions of Mayshak to PTAD should not be swept under the carpet over unproven allegations.

They recalled that while the embattled DG served as PTAD  boss they had eulogised her policies, and written recommendation letters to laud her effort in putting an end to their gory tales.

A letter by a pensioner Mr Samuel A Ajunwa lauded Mayshak’s prompt payment of pensions, commended her conduct of verification exercise, and her commitment to  pensioners welfare.

The pensioners expressed displeasure over their ill treatment since  Mayshak left office and expressed fear that the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme which Mayshak upheld may not live up to
its mandate.

Commending her effort while in office a retired Commissioner of Police, Chief Samuel Fetipigi had said the Defined Benefit Pension Scheme being transfered to PTAD and pensioners verification exercise under her watch recorded tremendous and commendable success.

“All the problems that had beset the payment of police pensioners are being resolved by PTAD.

“Our pension has been updated to the new rate, while many of the arrears have been paid.

“I am sure that by the end of this exercise, all police pensioners, including widows and the next of kin would not have problems anymore,” he said.

According to them she also digitized the old pension scheme for effective service delivery to ensure seamless payment of pensioners as well as bring transparency into the system adding that PTAD under her watch leveraged on technology to get database of pensioners; to help the agency to know the actual number of pensioners by removing ghost pensioners from the system.

The pensioners have  expressed disappointment over the agency’ s inability to follow the blue print of Mayshak, whom they described as an ” outstanding public sector reform expert”, and have made series of complain about the agency loosing the glory and values it was known for while Mayshak was in charge.

It would be recalled that rumours were making waves that the embattled DG earns N50-60 million monthly which was debunked as false, baseless, and maligning to her character, and described as an act perpetuated by mischief makers with the intention to run
down her hard earned reputation.

There were clarifications that her salary was subject to
approval by the National salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission whom amongst other functions advises the Federal and State Governments on National Income policy.

The Pensioners while calling for her reinstatement averred that it will help put an end to their present predicament and gory tales of pensioners currently on-going at the agency.