The Federal Government has constituted a 10-man Technical Committee to look into the areas of synergizing and harmonizing the mode and procedure for payment of pension benefits in the Public Service as at when due.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita while constituting the committee during a tripartite meeting between her Office, the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), held today in her Office in Abuja said that the setting up of the committee becomes necessary in order to ensure prompt payments of the pensioners entitlements in the Public Service.
She said that there is the need for synergy between her Office, PENCOM and PTAD so as to ensure efficiency in handling pension matters.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita expressed concern over how Public Servants after serving the country meritoriously for 35 years or after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years have to wait for so long before they could receive their retirement benefits and monthly pensions. A situation she stressed is not ideal for any Public Servant to pass through and must therefore be addressed immediately.
Earlier, the Director General National Pension Commission (PENCOM), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu said that PENCOM was ready to do everything humanly possible within the ambit of law to ensure that retired Public Servants henceforth continue to receive their retirement benefits and monthly pensions as at when due, adding that there is the need for the three offices to work together for the realization of this noble objective.
Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Secretary of Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mr. Murtala Olawale Toyin assured at the meeting of PTAD’S readiness and commitment to ensuring that Public Servants who retired from service are not subjected to untold hardship before they receive their retirement and monthly payments.
The committee which is to be headed by the Permanent Secretary Common Services Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Yemi Adelakun has three members each drawn from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), PENCOM and PTAD.
Terms of reference of the committee include:
To identify the current challenges hindering the prompt payments of retirees benefits
To work out modalities for ensuring the smooth and prompt payments of retirees benefits as at when due and
To recommend any other things that will assist Government to achieve the purpose of pension for retirees.
