PenCom Boss Denies Alleged Pension Act Violation

PenCom Boss Denies Alleged Pension Act Violation

By Ebere Nwoji

The acting Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Aisha Dahir-Umar has said the allegations levelled against the National Pension Commission (PenCom) by members of the House of Representatives were incorrect and unfounded.

Dahir-Umar, made this known during the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee Public hearing to investigate the activities of PenCom and alleged Violation of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014, held in Abuja recently.

In her response to the Ad-Hoc Committee over the allegation, she said members of staff and management team of the commission had always operated in accordance with the Act.

She said the lawmakers were misled by a motion moved in the House on 29 November, 2018.

Speaking on the allegation of unduly creating an impasse in the matter of appointment and resumption of duty of the members of board of the commission, she recalled that following the dissolution of the erstwhile management of PenCom in 2017, along with the managements of 22 other agencies and parastatals, the federal government had announced the names of a new management team subject to confirmation by the Senate.

She said: “You will further recall that on 27 May, 2017, the federal government reconstituted the nominated team subject to senate confirmation. In the interim, however, the federal government directed the undersigned, as the most senior career staff of the commission, to superintend the affairs of the commission in acting capacity, pending assumption of duty by the appointed members of the executive management. “Consequently, we have in the commission since April 2017, only a transitional management run by career staff of the commission”.

Continuing in her defence, she said, “By virtue of Section 19(3) of the PRA 2014, the president has power to appoint the Chairman, the Director-General and Commissioners of the National Pension Commission, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The career staff of the commission absolutely do not have any role or influence on decisions taken by either the executive or legislative arms of the federal government in the matter of appointment to the board of the commission.

“It is, therefore, incorrect to allege that the current transitional management is stalling the appointment or assumption of duty of the new board members.

“On illegal creation of additional directorates and appointment of more directors, thereby increasing the number from 10 to 17 directors. Section 30 of the PRA 2014 provides that the structure of PenCom shall comprise “divisions, departments and units as may be approved by the board from time to time.”

The current organogram of the Commission was approved by the board of the commission at its 46th meeting held on 12 June, 2015, with a structure of 5 divisions and 20 departments.

“This structure subsists to date and has not been altered. Consequently, it is incorrect to state that additional directorates have been created by the Commission during the current transitional period,” Dahir-Umar stated.

On recruiting of managers, she said the commission has not recruited any additional General Manager since the beginning of the transitional period in April 2017 to date.

According to her, what happened was a normal and duly approved promotion exercise for career staff of the commission, where three Deputy General Managers were promoted to the grade of General Managers after duly satisfying the established criteria in accordance with the terms and conditions of their employment.

“The Ad-hoc Committee may wish to note that the report of the Annual Staff Performance Appraisal exercise, containing recommendations for promotion to General Manager and other grades, was approved by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on 18 April, 2018, in the absence of a functional board of the commission. This is consistent with the provision of Section 17(5) of the PRA 2014 and Section 9 of the First Schedule to the PRA 2014, as well as Mr. President’s directive of 16 July, 2015 to all MDAs whose boards were dissolved that issues requiring approval of boards should be referred to him for decision through the respective supervising ministries.

On the allegation of Illegal increase of commission’s staff end of service benefits by 300 per cent, Dahir- Umar said Pursuant to Section 4(4)(a) of the PRA 2014, an employer may undertake to pay to his employees upon retirement, additional benefits other than the pension contributions into the Retirement Savings Account. Consistent with this provision and following the implementation of the Federal Government policy on 8-year tenure for Directors, the board of the commission had approved, at its 46th meeting held on 12 June, 2015, an End-of-Service Benefits package for General Managers who had served for a minimum of five  years on the grade, she explained.

NCAA, NIMC to Collaborate on Data Exchange

Chinedu Eze

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Usman, has disclosed that the agency was planning to collaborate with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that aviation personnel are properly captured in the nation’s database.

Usman, who expressed appreciation on the easy process of enrolling into the National Identity Database (NIDB) by NIMC urged Nigerians to register and be identified as Nigerian citizens.

Usman stated this at the NIMC Headquarters in Abuja at the weekend, after he completed his enrolment for his National Identification Number (NIN).

The DG of NCAA expressed delight over the smooth enrolment process, stating that the National Identity Management Scheme (NIMS) was a laudable project by the federal government to ensure that all Nigerians and Legal Residents are properly enrolled, identified and issued an identification number.

“This is very important and must be taken seriously. I implore all Nigerians to ensure they are captured into the Database in good time, so they can be issued their own unique number for identification even beyond the shores of the country,” Usman said.

He applauded the management of NIMC and emphasised that countries across the world that embraced similar system have resolved issues of identity of its citizens, citing the United States of America as an example, where everyone is given a Social Security Number. Usman, further stressed that NCAA is an agency of the government built to regulate civil aviation activities in Nigeria hence, “It will help us in the area of verification as an agency of government responsible for licensing aviation personnel, as well as corporate entities that operate the aviation services in Nigeria.

“This is a commendable initiative and we hope to collaborate with NIMC, and key into the project to ensure that the data captured are properly exchanged, to see how licensed aviation personnel can be enrolled and identified for life.

“In the USA, they have tied the Social Security Number with pilots/aviation personnel licenses because of the importance of having one standard data and NCAA can also do the same,” he added.

 

FG Seeks to Raise Domestic Gas Supply Capacity

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The federal government has said it is pursuing aggressive growth in domestic gas supply capacity from the current 1.7bscfd to 5bscfd, in the medium term.

This growth was anticipated to come from seven critical gas development projects.

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, unveiled government’s gas plan at the inauguration of  Egbaoma Gas Processing Plant (EGPP), Ebedei community in Ukwani Local Government area of Delta State.

He disclosed that the gas pipeline infrastructure network system was equally being expanded, adding that, “this expansion includes the Obiafu-Obrikom to Oben (OB3) gas pipeline which is less than 5km to Egbaoma Gas Plant and can serve as a major evacuation artery of the dry gas produced from the plant to the market.”

Baru said the critical 2bscfd capacity OB3 gas pipeline was expected to be completed by the end of second quarter, noting that “we are aware that within 50km from the processing plant and the OB3 pipeline lies proven reserves of 1Tcf from News cross Petroleum, Pillar Oil, Chorus Energy and Summit Oil that can support a 150mmscfd gas processing hub.”

He, therefore, urged operators whose assets were close to the PNG Gas Limited and the OB3 pipeline to collaborate and supply gas to maximise the plant’s capacity, access and commercialise all existing flares and further develop the significant gas reserves of 1Tcf in the area.

The NNPC boss commended the Chairman of Owel-Linkso, Engr Charles Osezua, promoter of the Gas Train and a Director in PNG Gas Limited, for his drive for the development of the nation’s gas sector.

Osezua, in his address said the PNG Gas plant was capable of producing 35 million litres of LPG and 34 million litres of Propane daily and has provided over 500 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians with 60 percent of them from the Niger Delta.

He said the dream of the management of PNG Gas Limited was to produce 150 million litres of LPG daily. This, he however said was limited to 35 million litres for now, saying the company was working assiduously to expand the plant.

Osezua, urged the NNPC to create conducive environment for investors in the gas sector to achieve the federal government’s objective of reducing gas flaring in the country.

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