As part of the ongoing biometric verification of pensioners being carried out by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directory PTAD across the country, the Senate Committee on Establishment and Pensions, Ably Chaired by Senator Emanuel Paulker conducted an oversight of the exercise in the South-west, at the Ketu Center of the exercise on Wednesday, 20th September, 2017.
At the oversight which was conducted by Senators Emanuel Paulker (Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Pensions), Gbenga Ashafa (Member, Senate Committee on Establishment and Pensions) alongside their colleagues from the House of Representatives, Ashafa who represents Lagos East Senatorial District called on all Pensioners in the South West to make themselves available for the screening.
Senator Ashafa made this call while addressing the pensioners, in the presence of the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Pensions, Senator Emanuel Paulker, stating that, “The biometric verification of pensioners who retired from the federal civil service, under the Defined Benefit Scheme is aimed at providing accurate database and eliminate ghost pensioners who may want to benefit from the payment of pension allowance. According to the Executive Secretary, of PTAD Sharon Ikeazor no fewer than 15,200 fictitious names were removed from the Federal Government payroll in 2016.”
“I therefore encourage all eligible Federal Government retirees in Lagos to make themselves available at the centers as this verification is a precursor to their being placed on the payroll particularly for those who haven’t been paid yet. It is also part of the mandate of the Buhari administration to ensure that all pensioners receive their retirement benefits legitimately.”
The Senator also observed that unlike the practice in the past when pensioners were kept in the rain and sun, PTAD has done quite well to make the process as seamless and stress free as possible by providing a conducive environment for the verification exercises in the different locations.
He however urged the management of PTAD to ensure that to devise a method whereby the pensioners would not be required to show up physically at every verification exercise, as pensioners should be able to receive their entitlements electronically without stress.
He concluded by giving kudos to the administration of President Muhammad Buhari as well as the 8th Senate for making the issue of pensions a priority and assured the pensioners of better days ahead.
