By Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee on pension liability to reconcile outstanding pension liabilities and proffer solutions to the lingering problems.
The constitution of the committee came barely 48 hours after the Minister of Budget and Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma hinted that the federal government would constitute a special committee to reconcile conflicting figures on pensioners’ claims and evolve creative measures to raise funds towards resolving the huge pension liabilities to workers.
Chaired by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, other members of the new committee include a representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, representative of the Head of Service of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation, Director General of the Budget Office, Director General of Pension Commission (Pencom) and Director General of Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), who will also act as secretary.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Akpandem James said the committee was to review and reconcile all pension liabilities of the federal government and make recommendations as to what portion of the liabilities could be funded through budgetary appropriations.
It is also to suggest creative ways of funding the balance and has four weeks to conclude its assignment and report back to the President.
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and his Finance counterpart, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, appeared before the House of Representatives on Thursday where they informed members of Buhari’s approval for the setting up of the committee.
