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By Henry Uche
National Pension Commission (PenCom) has issued a stern warning to employers of labour and companies who engage unofficial persons (otherwise known as touts) and agents, to obtain pension clearance certificates.
In a statement delivered by Management of the Commission, the general public were alerted that the use of touts and agents to obtain Pension Clearance Certificate is illegal and contrary to the provisions of Section 104(b)&(c) of the Pension Reform Act 2014.
Moreso, PenCom informed that issuance of pension clearance certificate is free of charge, and the application process is also very easy and transparent. Thus, the Commission strongly advises employers to deal directly with it on matters relating to applications for issuance of pension clearance certificate.
“Employers wishing to obtain pension clearance certificate are required to forward their application together with the following documents: certified list of employees of the organization as at the end of the last fiscal year. The certification should be done with an authorized official of the applicant organization, and certified rate of monthly pension contributions (specifying employer and employee rates).
“The rates relating to the monthly emoluments are: minimum of 10 per cent by the employer; and minimum of eight per cent by the employee.
“Evidence of remittance of monthly pension contributions for all employees as follows: for the last three fiscal years for organizations that were in existence for that period and have three or more staff; and for organizations that have not been in existence for the last three fiscal years, from the date of incorporation, registration and licensing to the last fiscal year.
“Other documents to be forwarded are: Evidence of remittance of all outstanding pension contributions and penalties (for late remittance); Evidence of transfer of pension fund and assets held prior to the commencement of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to a licensed pension fund operator. This is ONLY applicable to organizations that had pension arrangements or were in custody of pension assets before June 2004, and Evidence of current Group Life Insurance Policy procured for the staff of the organization specifying the number of lives and sum assured”
PenCom stressed that applicants must note that it takes seven working days for the Commission to process applications submitted with full documentation, adding that the application is currently in the process of automation and until that is completed, certificates of compliance can be picked up at the offices where applications were submitted.
“Applications can be submitted at either the Commission’s Head Office at Plot 174, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja or any of its Zonal Offices in the six (6) geopolitical zones. Details of the zonal offices can be found on the Commission’s website, www.pencom.gov.ng. Moreover, applicants can track their applications by visiting the Commission’s website where the list of organizations issued clearance certificates is updated daily.
