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From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
Retirees under the contributory pension scheme have petitioned President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, seeking a total and holistic review of the scheme managed by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM)
The petition, which was also addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, ministers of interior and labour, the National Human Rights Commission and the National Association of Retired Paramilitary Officers (NAPO) said the aims and objectives of the scheme introduced in 2004, had been defeated as it favours only the managers of the scheme.
In a petition signed by the president of the Correctional Officers Pencom Retirees Association of Nigeria (COPRAN), Plateau State Command, DSC A.I Ayiwulu (retd), the pensioners said the PENCOM policy, although made in good faith, had caused more harm than good to the public servant retirees who are the so called ‘senior citizens.’
The pensioners alleged so much corruption in the system, which has made it impossible for retirees to benefit from the scheme.
The petition read: “In Nigeria, there are three schemes and all the three schemes have different modes of operation which include; defined benefit scheme, being managed by the Pension Transitional Agreement Directorate (PTAD); programmed withdrawal, being managed by PFA; annuity for life being managed by insurance companies.
“There is too much corruption at the pension system and the funds meant for the pensioners are spent by the managers and these have made pensioners’ lives difficult and unbearable, since they are getting only peanuts. For example, just 2.5 percent was approved by the Federal Government to PENCOM retirees up till date. Some are still unpaid simply because of little mistakes in dates, and which was the same record that was used to pay the meagre amount of lumpsum.
“They used technicality to hold this 2.5 percent after public servants have put in their best during their years of active service to the nation and after selfless service and hard work.
“When they expect to get their pension benefit, it becomes a problem. Those at the top or the policy makers become greedy and refuse to pay benefits and gratuities of their hard work. This situation has made most of the pensioners go through untold hardship, abject poverty and misery.
“There is a need for such a policy to be changed or reviewed for the common good and betterment of those concerned and for an effective result.
“After 35 years of diligent selfless service to one’s nation, all one has to show for it is owed gratuities, inability to provide one’s basic needs and even the needs of one’s family.
Retired public servants in the country have been subjected to PENCOM policy, even after tireless cries by the retired public servants of the inadequacies of the PENCOM administration and their challenges.
“Challenges such as inadequate funding to retirees; low returns on investments, which has led to poor and inadequate funds for layout; inconsistent policies which have also led to frequent changes in policies and regulations; and this also has created and contributed to the challenges faced by retirees.
“All our cries for unpaid benefits have been pushed under the carpet and our challenges are getting more difficult by the day. More challenging is the pace at which the country’s economy is moving, prices of goods keep escalating and this also is of great concern.
The Nigerian Army sought to opt out of the PENCOM scheme and their request has been granted, because the pension scheme only created untold difficulties in the lives of these service men who now retired, and cannot provide for themselves and their families.
“In the current situation of the country, there is a high rate of unemployment and a parent after training his child/children through school with the expectation that when they are done schooling they will get a job and be settled, but the reverse has always been the case. The parent who in his old age is retired is still expected to provide and cater for their needs after years of graduation because they cannot help themselves.”
The pensioners sought for a holistic approach in addressing these challenges through a multi-faceted approach, including policy reforms, increased funding, if not outright removal from the PENCOM policy, which seeks to put these retirees in untold hardships and living below standard, instead of sustaining and rewarding them for their years of dedicated service to their country.
