PTAD pays N900m to war affected officers

The Pension Transition Directorate (PTAD) has disclosed that Federal Government has made it a priority to ensure pension payment is made before salary payment to civil servants.

The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, stated this on Monday while speaking at the 2018 PTAD South East Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu.

She stated that the directorate has paid N900million to War Affected Officers between 2015 and 2018.

The Daily Times recalls that PTAD flagged off payment of retirement benefits in Enugu last year to war affected police officers from the South East and South Zones who were issued with letters of amnesty by Police Service Commission.

She said, “A critical challenge the Directorate face is ensuring the right pensioners are paid at the right time. With the directorate dependent on government for release of funds, it is obvious that salaries are prioritized to our esteemed pensioners.

“The Directorate has now made this a priority to ensure pension payment is made before salary payment to civil servants”.

Ikeazor added that only those who are yet to receive their benefits are either as a result of the death before amnesty granted on 29th May, 2000, discrepancies in records and fraudulent documentations or name not on Police Service Commission (PSC).

She commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to make positive impact on the lives of pensioners, adding that it was her conviction that Nigeria owes the senior citizens a debt of gratitude for their dedication and sacrifice while in the service of this great nation.

“Accordingly, I have made it my mission to ensure that pensioners across the nation are well treated and continually served with the utmost empathy and respect, I’m glad to see a very good turnout of our esteemed pensioners , stakeholders, partners and sister agencies today.

“I made a pledge to my esteemed pensioners (last year) that engaging with them will become a tradition at PTAD and this is the first time the Directorate holds an engagement as such in the South East”, she stated.
]She further hinted that PTAD has been working closely with its regulator, PenCom to improve the agency’s overall compliance to match pension standards.

Ikeazor averred that PTAD’s partner agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (ICPC) the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were playing very important roles in the fight against corruption to ensure that pension administration does not revert to its previous state, “riddled with allegations of corruption and fraud”

In a speech delivered at the occasion, the Deputy Director, Police Pension Department, Modupe Olokun, said as at today, 500 Retired War Affected Pensioners have been verified, adding that 159 of them have been enrolled on to the payroll as they were able to present evidence of their service to the Nigeria Police.