It is the festive period but pensioners are still waiting for the N25,000 wage award from the government. Omobola Tolu-Kusimo reports
FOR the over 200,000 federal pensioners in th ecountry, the festive period is bleak. Reason: They are yet to be paid the fuel subsidy palliative approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The President had on October 4, 2023 ordered a N25,000 wage award to pensioners to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal for them.
Though the President had also on October 1,2023 Independence Day announced intervention funds of N35,000 as wage award for six months for federal workers, and some workers have started receiving the cash, pensioners are yet to.
For several weeks, the pensioners have been crying out over their plight.
Yet, up till date, no pensioner has been paid, provoking speculations that some government officials at the ministry might be plotting to divert the funds meant for the pensioners.
The pensioners are unhappy with the Minister of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu and are set for a showdown with the ministry in January, next year.
Investigations by the newspaper has showed that the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has on request by the ministry submitted names of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) to the ministry since October.Yet, almost three months after the announcement by the President, no pensioner has been paid.
The Nation also learnt that the National Pension Commission (PenCom) is unaware of how and when the pensioners will be paid.
When the newspaper reached out to PTAD and PenCom, both, pension regulators, kept mum.
The newspaper also reached out to the ministry which debunks speculations that the money has been diverted.
However, the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Rasheed Zubair, said the ministry was still compiling and verifying the pensioners’ list before it could commence payment.
He said for the avoidance of doubt, a list of 17,077 veterans, and 264,560 pensioners had been submitted to the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) in the third week of November.
He, however, added that the process of in-person verification of the list was still ongoing.
Meanwhile, observers have faulted the ministry on why it has to rely on third party agencies to verify pensioners rather than revert to PenCom and PTAD that have a database of genuine pensioners.
A source in PTAD said: “We are not responsible for palliative payments to pensioners. All we know is that after the President’s announcement in October, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation reached out to us, asking for a list of payroll of pensioners and we submitted it to them immediately.
“So, they have the list of pensioners since October. We don’t know why the pensioners have not got the money. Some pensioners have been bothering us about the palliative thinking we are the agency to pay them. But we have been explaining to them that we don’t have anything to do with the payment.
“NUP have also reached out to us that we should be the one to make the payment since we have their payroll list but we told them that there is no directive to us to do so. The pensioners are worried that it seems some government officials want to steal the money. We hope not because it will be saddening.
“If the ministry wants PTAD to pay, they should send the fund to us and if they want to pay, they have the details. But it is worrisome that they have not paid while they have paid workers.”
In PenCom, no one wanted to speak. A top source was asked: “What is going on with the payment of subsidy removal palliative authorised by the president to be paid to pensioners? We are aware that it’s the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs that is meant to pay, but have they reached out to the commission or carry you along on how they are paying. Did they request for pensioners’ names and account details from the commission?
The senior official simply responded by saying: “I don’t know.”
At the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Zubair said: “The attention of the Minister For Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has been drawn to a fake news item in the media and public spaces alleging that N25 billion purportedly meant for the retired Military pensioners from the Conditioner Cash Transfer Funds has been given to the Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru Abubakar.
“The public is urged to disregard this report as it is not only fake but a deliberate, malicious and insipid attempt by mischief makers, disgruntled elements and enemies of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration to tarnish the image and integrity of the Minister.
“For the records, at no time did the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation give or contemplate giving funds meant for the pensioners of the retired Military personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces to Ministers or Ministries.
“For the avoidance of doubt, 17,077 veterans, and 264,560 pensioners’ list were submitted to National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) in the third week of November and the process of in-person verification of the names submitted by the Nigerian Legion and the pensioners group is still ongoing.
“Similarly, the office responsible for the verification of the register under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is doing a painstaking job of working with the World Bank.
“All the captured retired veterans who meet the criteria and pensioners will be paid once the rigorous verification exercise is completed.
“The public, especially the media, is hereby informed by this release that the ministry has not released or planned to release any money meant for the Renewed Hope Cash Transfer to any individual or group.
“In line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, funds upon confirmation of the beneficiaries’details, are to be sent directly to them through their bank accounts and is verifiable.
“The good intention of Mr President to expand the National Social Register and commence payment of the N25,000 for three months to accommodate the veterans of the Nigerian Armed Forces, which is a novel idea and the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria, should be appreciated by Nigerians and not allow themselves to be distracted or misinformed by naysayers,” he added.
NUP troubled
The NUP is distressed that pensioners are yet to be paid palliative by the ministry.
NUP President, Pa Godwin Abumusi said he had not been paid neither did he know any pensioner that had been paid.
“I don’t know what is happening to our palliative. The government promised to pay a palliative of N25,000 to pensioners but up till date, we have not received any money.
“I have not gotten it and I do not know any pensioner that has gotten it. We don’t know what is happening. Nobody is talking to us; so, we are confused,’” he added.
He stated that the ministry asked them to submit their biodata which they had done.
“They later ask us to submit other documents but we told them that the documents pertaining to our pension are in the hands of those who pay our pensions, which are PTAD and PenCom. We told them that instead of asking us to go and collect the data by ourselves, they should order the various agencies to give it to them.
“We have suggested to the ministry that if the palliative is going to be paid through our pensions’ regulators, then it should be paid by PTAD because they have our database. PTAD is the only agency paying pension and if they have any money to give us, PTAD is best agency to route it through. There is no other way to pay us. The same goes for pensioners under PenCom
Abumusi further stressed that the ministry is responsible to provide the funds that will be used to pay us. They negotiated it, but it has not been paid.
The NUP president said they would engage state and the Federal Governments if they had not paid our palliative.
“I have on record that it is only Imo State that is getting rice but I’m not aware that any state government has paid the N25,000 proposed by the Federal Government as the monetary palliative for pensioners. I’m not aware that any state government has commenced payment.
“If they are not up to any mischief, why would they say data should be submitted by individual pensioners when PTAD exists. But we are watching,”he said.
He called on President Tinubu to intervene and ensure the ministry carries out the mandate given to them.
Embattled pensioners
Chairman, Contributory Pensioners Union of Nigeria (CPUN), Comrade Mathew Shittu, said his members numbering thousands had not received any palliative.
He hoped that the national cake syndrome, which government officials take pension money for, would not apply to the funds meant for the palliative.
“I am troubled. If the money is diverted, the agencies responsible for paying will be in trouble. We will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring that they bring back the money and pay us.
“Our members are suffering going by the tough economy, just like many Nigerians. The fuel subsidy removal has made prices of food in the market to skyrocket. The fuel itself is not affordable for an average pensioner.
“I believe that no reasonable person will refuse to pay pensioners and poor people. Nobody can play any game with this palliative because we will take action on why they are not paying pensioners despite paying workers.
A pensioner under PTAD, Inspector Raphael Ndiema (rtd) said: “I want to know why N25,000 authorised by the president to be paid to Federal Government’s pensioners is yet to be paid while workers are already receiving the N35,000 declared for them. Did we not serve the country?
Another pensioner under PenCom, Haruna Mohammed asked: “Is there any palliative for Federal Government’s retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme?
Akeredolu said: “We have not heard of the plan and payments for palliative for pensioners on the increment for federal civil servants.’’
