In a determined effort to improve pensioners’ welfare across the country, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has commissioned an office in Kwara State.
The significant milestone was the 12th State branch since its inception in 2013, highlighting PTAD’s commitment to improving pension administration across Nigeria.
Addressing pensioners and stakeholders who attended the event, PTAD Executive Secretary, Chioma Ejikeme expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring timely release of funds for payment of pensions and recent increment of pensions.
“Your collaboration has been instrumental to our achievements.” Ejikeme told pensioners and stakeholders.
The Kwara office, located in Ilorin, aims to enhance the accessibility of pension services for Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners.
The initiative was part of a broader strategy to address the historical challenges faced by pensioners under the old system, characterised by administrative bottlenecks and inadequate service delivery.
Furthermore, Ejikeme, said; “Since inception in 2013, PTAD has opened eleven (11) State offices across the Six Geopolitical zones of the country and this Kwara State office we are commissioning today would make it the 12th PTAD State office, in addition to the FCT Abuja Office (Headquarters). PTAD has offices in the following cities: Yola, Awka, Maiduguri, Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Sokoto, Yobe, and now, Ilorin.
“The aim of establishing these offices in strategically-selected locations nationwide is to bring our exceptional pension services closer to the doorstep of Defined Benefit Scheme pensioners that are being managed by PTAD as mandated in the Pension Reform Act 2014, Section 47 (2)”.
She recalled that prior to the establishment of PTAD in August 2013, the DBS Administration under the Old Pension Offices faced overwhelming challenges.
These challenges, according to her, were an accumulation of a number of negative incidents emanating from administrative bottlenecks in accessing pension services, poor funding of pension liabilities, as well as poor service delivery to pensioners.
“Our pensioners can certainly attest that those major challenges are now all in the past with the advent of PTAD. In the last decade of operation, PTAD has reformed and revolutionized pension administration using technology.
“We have implemented service innovations that have been proactive and intentional, from automating and streamlining our core operational processes, to digitization of pensioners employment records, electronic computation of pension benefits, pension payments, complaints resolution, the Back End Computation project, and the “I Am Alive” Confirmation Solution.
“All these and many more are programs carried out to strengthen and improve PTAD’s operations, eradicate the stress DBS pensioners go through to get their pensions, and ensure that the welfare of our pensioners remains our topmost priority”, she said.
Speaking on complaints from Next-of-Kin of deceased pensioners and some pensioners concerning non-payment of inherited liabilities, she said, “I inaugurated a Directorate Wide Expanded NOK & Gratuity Project, in December 2023, with a clear mandate to address all legitimate complaints of non-payment of gratuities to some pensioners and death benefits to Next-of-Kin of deceased pensioners across all the pension departments.
“I am glad to announce that as at the 19th of July 2024, the Directorate has processed and paid the sum of Three Hundred and Ninety-Five Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-Nine Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Five Naira, Nine Kobo (₦395,559,795.09) as Death Benefits and Gratuity to Two Hundred and Thirty-Eight Next-of-Kin of deceased pensioners and pensioners. The project is still on-going as we speak.
“The rest of the NoK and Gratuity Benefit claims files are still undergoing prudent checks and validation, because as I often say, any money that is wrongly paid to a NOK beneficiary is like money put in the belly of the tiger, as it would be very difficult, if not impossible to recover.
“Nevertheless, it is worthy to note that PTAD is working tirelessly with the relevant stakeholders and respective High Courts of Justice across the Federation to ensure that the Letters of Administration in favour of the NOK are validated within the shortest time frame, and other related checks completed to enable the remaining beneficiaries receive their entitlements in the shortest possible time”, she said.
She informed the pensioners that the increment approved by President Bola Tinubu in fulfillment of the constitutional provision of Section 173 (3) providing for a 5 yearly pension increment for pensioners, which takes effect from the 1st of January 2024, would be implemented with commencement of the payment of the accrued arrears this August.
“I wish to use this opportunity to encourage the pensioners who are yet to confirm their aliveness through the “I Am Alive” Confirmation Solution to do so”, she advised.
