THE Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate has said it has paid over N96bn, across all operational departments as it intensifies efforts to ensure complete payment of gratuities and pension arrears before the end of this year.
The Executive Secretary, PTAD, Chioma Ejikeme, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to her, the payments were made between July 2019 and August 2020.
She said, “The sum of over N77bn was paid as monthly pension payments to 244,643 pensioners as at July 2020. 87, 842 pensioners were paid arrears and gratuities of over N19bn.
“The sum of over N670m was paid to 418 Next of Kins of deceased pensioners.”
She noted that the directorate, among other things, had achieved regular payment of monthly pension benefits to pensioners across the four operational departments, which had contributed immensly to the welfare of pensioners.
Ejikeme explained that an appropriate business continuity program was being implemented to manage unforeseen risks or losses that could occur as a result of IT equipment damage from natural disasters, human error, hacking, system failure and cyber crime.
She stated, “PTAD is working assiduously on the recovery of legacy funds and assets in the custody of 12 insurance underwriters belonging to the defunct agencies.
“Of the 12 insurance underwriters identified by the directorate who are in custody of legacy funds and assets, the directorate has filed an action under the undefended list procedure for the recovery of legacy funds and assets against four Insurance underwriters, which include: Goldlink insurance Plc, Standard Alliance, Life Insurance Plc and Niger Insurance Plc.”
According to her, efforts are ongoing to deepen health insurance coverage for pensioners, combat pension scammers and fraudsters, and deepen pensioners welfare through sustained benefit payment among others.
