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From Uche Usim, Abuja
Respite may be underway for 92,000 government pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), as the federal government is currently battling to offset an outstanding N90.1 unfunded pension liabilities, which arose from accumulated unpaid arrears.
The Director, parastatals pension department of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Yusuf Umar, made the revelation in Abuja on Thursday, at the maiden training for pension journalists sponsored by the Directorate.
According to him, PTAD has 265 parastatals on its watch, adding that, over the years, the agency has improved its operations to reduce its inherited pension liabilities, while ensuring that pensioners got their entitlements as and when due.
He said pensioners were now required to mandatorily submit their Biometric Verification Number (BVN), noting that those who fail to provide it were immediately removed from its pension payroll.
Of the outstanding pension liabilities, pensioners of defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited/ MTEL with over 11,000 pensioners has the highest outstanding pension liability of N73 billion, defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria ( PHCN) has over 10,000 pensioners, Delta steel Company has pension liability of N7.9 billion, Nicon insurance N4.9 billion, Nigeria- Reinsurance with 24 months arrears totalling N1.1 billion and New Nigeria Newspaper with pension liability of N2. 9 billion.
Other parastatals and their outstanding pension liabilities are: Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL) with 953 pensioners with pension liability of N1.2 billion, Aluminum Smelter Company Limited (ALSCON) with 2,000 pensioners having cumulative pension liability of N467 million, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (Nahco) N467 million, defunct Assurance Bank with total number of 935 pensioners with total pension liability of N570 million and Federal Housing Authority (FHA) having with total pension liability of N389 million.
Umar further explained that the Directorate in addition, ejected pensioners operating microfinance banks and requested all pensioners to open accounts with conventional Deposit Money Banks ( DMBs).
“To ensure pensioners are saved from the pressure of traveling from their bases for routine data verification exercises, PTAD unveiled ‘I Am Alive’ confirmation platform”, he said.
In his presentation, PTAD’s director, civil service department, Suleiman Shelle, who was represented by Ini Nathan disclosed that there were 107,000 pensioners covered in the payroll of PTAD after removing 20,000 pensioners with irregularities.
Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, who was represented by Abdallah Abubakar said that the Directorate was determined to evolve strategies geared towards transforming pension management.
