From Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has commenced a verification and enrolment exercise for about 700 employees of Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states retiring in 2020.
The exercise which is holding in Bauchi is meant for employees in the service of the Federal Government who are due to retire between January and December 2020 by virtue of attaining 60 years of age or 35 years in service, whichever is earlier, or 65 years by age for employees of tertiary institutions or 70 years of age for Professors.
According to the Head, Corporate Communication Department of the Commission, Peter Aghahowa, “The purpose of the exercise is to facilitate the payment of their retirement benefits. This physical enrolment also covers those who have already retired but are yet to be enrolled”.
Aghahowa who spoke on the sideline of the exercise at the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi said employees were requested to attend the enrolment exercise with the originals and copies of letter of appointment, evidence of transfer of Service & acceptance where applicable, birth certificate/declaration of age, letter/evidence of promotion as at June, 2004, letter/evidence of All promotions obtained from 2004 to date, letter of introduction from the MDAs, staff identity card, authenticated past record of service.
Other requirements, he explained, are evidence of IPPIS registration slip (where applicable), letter/evidence of Retirement (Applicable to those who have retired Mandatorily/Voluntarily/Disengaged/Termination and yet to enroll with the Commission.
“The prospective retirees are also requested to come with letter of indemnity from the MDA stating non-payment of Retirement Benefits (Applicable to those who retired/disengaged before 2009), Evidence of registration with a Pension Fund Administrator indicating Retirement Savings Accounts Personal Identification Number, evidence of National Identification Number and evidence of Bank Verification Number.
He also explained that to ensure a successful and hitch-free exercise, the Commission requires the presence of at least, one Pension Desk Officer (PDO) from each MDA in order to assist in identifying potential retirees as well as confirm the authenticity of the documents presented by the employees.
“Potential retirees who are medically unfit are exempted from the exercise but the Commission advises their Pension Desk Officers to come with their documents and a letter from a suitably qualified physician or medical board certifying that the affected employees are not physically or mentally capable of carrying out the functions of his/her office or attend the verification exercise”, he further explained .
The Commission then advised all the prospective FG retirees to take part in the exercise as it was a precondition for the payment of their retirement benefits.
