Take Retirement Plan Serious, Sigma Pensions TellsWorkers

BY Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Nigerians have been advised against treating with levity,the issue of retirement as their future happiness and that of their family could depend on careful or wise plan towards life in retirement.

The representative of Sigma Pensions Limited, Mr.Chukwuma Amaonwu, gave the advice while addressing participants at the Warri Zonal Delegates Conference of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), held in Asaba, the Delta State capital at the weekend.

Addressing the delegates and invited guests including the representative of Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Amaonwu harped on the immense value of pension schemes as a safeguard against daunting future challenges.

He noted that Sigma Pensions, as one of the country’s leading licenced pension funds administrators, has for over 10 years, been preoccupied with undertaking the business fund administration in Nigeria.

Retirement Savings Account (RSA) Fund Management, which is part of the products and services offered by Sigma Pensions, is flexible in application and affords users prompt and regular updates of client accounts, Amaonwu said.

He informed the PENGASSAN delegates that Sigma Pensions as a pension management company undertakes efficient pension payroll management on behalf of states, local governments and corporate organisations’  under an institutional pension fund management arrangement such as NEXIM Pension.      

He further advised individuals and organisations wishing to bid for or solicit contracts from the federal government to know that ‘compliance certificates’ are only issued by the National Pension Commission in order to avoid being defrauded.

While stressing that the passion and commitment of the company reflect in the fact customers of Sigma Pensions “always retire happy”, he said that the company took the extra step of engaging the services of a consultant to undertake an independent customer service survey with regular motivation of customers. 

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to Governor IfeanyiOkowa on Labour and Servicom, Comrade Mike Okeme, said that the state government was working in concert with stakeholders to end “casualisation” particularly in the oil and gas industry.

In his address, President of PENGASSAN, Francis Olabode, attributed the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the industry, to the adoption by the association of “dialogue and constructive engagements” in its labourrelations. 

Olabode noted that such relatively cordial labour relations have often led to peaceful resolution of disputes in the sector and industrial harmony in the oil and gas industry.