E-verification for military pensioners to begin July 1-MPB

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The Federal Government has approved electronic verification system for military pensioners in the country to ensure sanity in pension administration.
The electronic verification exercise which will commence on July 1, according to the Chairman, Military Pensions Board (MPB), Air Vice-Marshal Paul Irumheson, is aimed at sanitising military pension administration and elimination of issues of impersonation.
Irumheson, at a media briefing held at the MPB, headquarters in Abuja, said the board adopted electronic verification system to reduce the risk of traveling from one place to another giving the security challenges in the country as well as the cost of transportation coupled with old age of retirees.
“You may recall that on February 15, I briefed this honorable press about the MPB intention or plan to move from physical verification exercise to electronic verification exercise for our military retirees.
“The reasons amongst others includes security risk of travelling from one place to the other, old age of some of our pensioners, and high cost of transportation, particularly for those staying abroad,” he said.
Irumheson while noting that the board had conducted and completed a pilot test held February 15-March 1, said that 15 out of the 2,000 pensioners verified failed the process, adding that the little observations noticed had been used to improve on the system.
He disclosed that the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, had approved the commencement of the electronic verification exercise for the esteemed pensioners, assuring that the board would carry out sufficient public awareness to enable pensioners navigate the system with ease.
He, therefore, called on military pensioners to take advantage of the electronic verification exercises, adding that those who failed will cease to receive their pensions.
“Therefore, as the Chairman of MPB, I hereby declare the Electronic Verification Exercise officially open on full scale for all our retired pensioners for a period of three months from July 1 to September 30.
“Finally, the Board wishes to advise all pensioners to take active part in this exercise.
“Those that fail to take part in the Verification Exercise will not get their pensions going forward,” Irumheson concluded.