Group demands review of Pension Reforms Act

Pensioners under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Contributory Pensioners (NUCP) on Monday called for the immediate review of the Pension Reforms Act with the view to ensure inclusion of representatives of workers and pensioners under the contributory pensioners into the Board of National Pension Commission (PenCom).

The Group alleged that the old pension scheme is under the purview of Pensions Transitional Administration Directorate only takes care of pensioners under old pension scheme prior to the enactment of the new pension regime in 2004 while the intrests of millions of Nigerian workers and pensioners who were captured under the contributory pension scheme as from 2004 were not adequately represented.

They also called on Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to expedite action on the registration of NUCP by ensuring timely issuance of certificate of registration as provided by the enabling laws.

Speaking on behalf of the Union at a press briefing held in Abuja, Asimiefele Aigbokheleode, chairman, NUCP Tink-Tank Committee accused PenCom authorities of flagrant breach of 13 provisions of the Pension Reforms Act, 2014 as well as payment of pension allowances to retirees under the new pension regime.

He said  that the Commission has over the past few years failed to review the pension allowances despite the upward review of wages of Nigerian workers as encapsulated in the Pension Reforms Act, 2014.

He also accused PenCom of indiscriminate approval of pension allowances to pensioners without approved template.

The Union also faulted the undue delay by PenCom on payment of total sum of N56.5 billion to offset the 33.5 percent and 15 percent accrued arrears of contributory pensioner’s benefits which funds have been released for over two years.

He noted that the Commission has embarked on misapplication of funds accrued into the CPS through indiscriminate allocation of funds, opening of unknown accounts in the central bank of Nigeria  (CBN) as well as increase in salaries and allowances of staff of the Commission without the approval of the Board.

“The Pension Commission treats us as miserable people, for several years we were deprived of increment as stipulated by the Pension Reforms Act 2014. The Commission panel beats and violated the Act and as we stated before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee, we have identified 13 violations, so we are worried by the high level of impunity. They inrease their salaries without having a Board,” the Chairman of the Tink-Tank Committee alleged.

Aigbokheleode also frowned at the decision of the Commission on the indiscriminate payment of paltry sum of between N1,000 and N2,000 to some of the pensioners as increment determined by computer, as well as refusal to pay annuity to eligible retirees.

Contributing, Oba Moses Ayodele Ayelagbe Adewuyi (Dunmade I), Oluju of Iludun-Eji in Kwara State who retired as a Director in 2012 accused the pension commission of frustrating pensioners under the contributory pension scheme.

Oba Adewuyi who decried the lacuna in the implementation of the new pension scheme, observed that while the old pension scheme provides for payment of life pension to all the retirees, those who were captured under the new pension scheme were subjected to certain numbers of years.

“Under the old pension scheme, pension is for life. Some died in active service whole some who survived should be catered for by the nation for life. But under the contributory pension scheme, we are to be paid for 16 or 18 years at the discretion of the PFAS.

“On the entitlement due to individual pensioners, no one knows what is due to him under the new contributory pension scheme but the template for calculating the old pension scheme can be calculated by anybody because there’s no ambiguity in it,” he lamented.

He further argued that the template adopted for the payment of pension by the Commission also discriminated against women as it provides for lower pension allowances than what is due to their male counterpart under the guise than women have longer life expectancy than men.

In his remarks, Adesina Atinsola-Moronto, NUCP member, disclosed that the Commission pays him the sum of N50, 000 to a retired Director per month while the sum of N240,000 is paid to someone who retires as Level 14 officer before the inception of the new pension scheme in 2004.