Poor Documentation, Fraud Major Challenges of Pensioners, Says Senator

Okon Bassey

Poor documentation and fraud have been identified as major challenges currently faced by Nigerian pensioners.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Ibrahim Shekarau, who made the assertion yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said all the pension administrators are working towards addressing the issues.

The senator, representing Kano Central senatorial district, spoke while fielding questions from journalists after a close-door session at a one-week retreat for the National Assembly Committees on Pensions, Budget and Appropriation and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

According to him, “I think they are trying to see how they can perfect the records, because it is not just giving out money like that, but developing the correct documentation because if you don’t have the correct documentation, the problem will continue. Not all next of kin will be sincere enough to report when a pensioner dies, they want to keep receiving the pension.

“Also, some fraudsters in the various agencies will not want to report dead pensioners, but keep receiving his pension. And we are calling on government agencies to improve the documentation of their staff and enlighten retirees on what to do few months to their retirement. So these are part of the challenges that we are gradually trying to ease up for all pensioners, and I think we are getting it better.”

The committee expressed satisfaction with the measures initiated by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate to meet the challenges in the Nigerian pension sector.

Shekarau said the Committee on Establishment and Public Service initiated the stakeholders’ meeting to rob mind with the agency in order to understand their challenges and what they are doing vis a vis their projected budget.

He said: “We have a close-door session, where we encouraged the stakeholders because it makes our work a lot easier. In the next couple of months-October, November-traditionally, they (PTAD) will come to present their budget, and we will be able to understand where they are coming from.”