In its bid to win the fight against pension fraudsters who are out to swindle unsuspecting pensioners, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) is collaborating with relevant government agencies. EDET UDOH reports.
Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) is responsible for the pension administration of the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). It is an Agency of the Federal Government established in August 2013 in compliance with the provisions of Section 30 sub-section (2) (a) of the repealed Pension Reform Act (PRA) of 2004 (re-enacted in 2014, Section 42 (1)) responsible for making budgetary estimates for existing pensioners and officers exempted from Contributary Pension Scheme. Maintain comprehensive database of pensioners, ascertain deficits in pension payment under her jurisdiction and address the numerous pensioners’ complaints that bother on issues such as non-payment of monthly pension, short payment of pension and gratuity, removal of name on pension payment voucher, non-payment of harmonized pension arrears, etc.
Poised to carry out its statutory responsibilities as stipulated by the law, PTAD has among other things collaborated with various agencies of government especially those responsible for the enforcement of law and order against financial corruption such as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC); Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) among others. The effort is aimed at ensuring the recovery of PTAD assets including cash and property from insurance companies and fight against pension fraudsters who are on the prowl to swindle the senior citizens of their hard-earned pensions.
Awareness/Sesitization of stakeholders
In order to align all parties to its plans and programmes, PTAD has embarked on serious sensitization of stakeholders, Pensioners and Next of Kins on the activities of fraudsters who now target pensioners to defraud them of their hard-earned pensions by texting or calling them, soliciting for money to facilitate their pension payments.
Indeed, it is based on this that PTAD has always reiterated that it’s staff will never demand for money from any pensioner or Next of Kin before their pensions are processed and paid, noting that there are no intermediaries in the pension payments, Pensioners are paid directly through Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform into individual pensioner’s account and advised Pensioners to beware of fraudsters who sometimes pose as PTAD staff to defraud them.
The Directorate has continued on sustained awareness campaigns to proactively protect the pensioners and to expose pranks employed by the fraudsters to swindle uninformed pensioners. PTAD has continued in sensitizing the pensioners through SMS to all pensioners, Newspaper adverts on National Newspapers and radio jingle on Radio stations across the six geo political zones of the country.
Creation of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit
In her determination to win the fight against pension scammers and fraudster, the Management has created an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) in the Directorate, launched vigorous media campaigns against fraudsters’ activities and staff training on early detection of fraudsters and scammers in the system.
Just recently, the PTAD boss had raised alarm on the activities of pension scammers warning pensioners not to patronize anyone who demand money from them for processing of their pension payments, stating that no PTAD staff will ask any pensioner for money or any form of gratification before processing their payments.
Partnership with ICPC, EFCC
PTAD’s fight against pension fraudsters and scammers has continued to receive a boost and support from various government agencies including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC); Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
During a courtesy visit to the ICPC Chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye in his office in Abuja, PTAD’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme along with her Senior Management Team had told ICPC Chairman of the efforts put in place by the Directorate to fight these scammers which is yielding positive results.
She also appreciated the Chairman for the Agency’s continued support particularly during the PTAD’s Parastatals Pensioners Verification Exercise.
The two agencies had, during the visit agreed to continue to share information especially with regards to Court processes and arraignment of pension fraudsters and scammers. This, they said, will among other things ensure tabs are kept on criminal activities and ensure more convictions.
The ICPC Chairman, Professor Owasanoye, while responding during the courtesy visit had commended Dr. Ejikeme and her team for the good job at PTAD, and reaffirmed his determination to continue to collaborate with PTAD to achieve success in the fight against the pension criminals.
He also assured PTAD that the Commission will give full support to the effort of the Directorate to sanitize the system and put an end to pension scammers and fraudsters. He promised to create a desk office that will relate with the Directorate to fast-track apprehension and prosecution of the offenders.
In her sustained efforts, PTAD boss, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme had also led her Management Team to pay a courtesy visit to the Ag. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu at the Corporate Headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.
The visit, PTAD said was to introduce the new Executive Secretary (Dr. Chioma Ejikeme) to the Chairman and seek further support and collaboration with the Commission on the war against pension fraudsters and scammers.
Speaking during the visit, the Executive Secretary appreciated the EFCC Chairman for the support rendered to PTAD in the past especially during the recently concluded Parastatal Pensioners verification exercise. She applauded the giant strides the commission has made towards combating the cankerworm of corruption in the country.
Prosecution of PTAD fraudulent staff
More recently, she noted the apprehension and prosecution of a staff of Office of the Auditor General for the Federation posted to PTAD who was arrested and charged to court by the Commission for collecting gratification from pensioners before their benefit is processed and therefore called on the Commission to give the case publicity to serve as a deterrent to others who may be planning to commit the same crime.
Dr. Ejikeme informed the EFCC Chairman of the challenge faced by the Directorate on Asset recovery from Insurance Companies who were the underwriters of the privatized Agencies before they were transferred to PTAD and solicited the help of the Commission for PTAD to recover Pension Assets of over N22bn owed by NICON Insurance Plc alone.
PTAD boss also used the visit to enumerate some of the achievements made by the Directorate on its mandate such as payment of the monthly benefits to pensioners as and when due including the outstanding balances of the 33% arrears which had been lingering since 2010 to the pensioners and the Next of Kin.
While responding during the visit, the EFCC Ag. Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, had thanked the Executive Secretary for the visit, promising that the Commission was ready to partner with PTAD to sanitize the system. He said all cases of pension fraud will be followed to its logical conclusion. He therefore requested for timely information on any case of fraud so that the culprit could be arrested and prosecuted.
Pensioners satisfaction survey
Towards improving on its service delivery to pensioners, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) had embarked on a pensioner satisfaction survey.
The phone-call based survey was aimed at gauging the pulse of the pensioners, measure their satisfaction with PTAD services and provide the necessary feedback towards improving on its service commitment to pensioners.
The survey which involved over 48,000 randomly selected pensioners from the four pension departments under the Directorate’s management namely; The Civil Service Pension Department, The Police Pension Department, The Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Department and the Parastatals Pension Department was carried out between March 2019 to May 2019. Pensioners were factual in their response to PTAD calling agents. The result was impressively positive.
Commits to timely payment of gratuities
Meanwhile, to stay true to its responsibilities, PTAD has continued to pay pensioners even in the face of Challenges posed by the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.
To this end, PTAD has continue to pay gratuities and pension arrears to deserving pensioners. Recently, the Directorate paid 5,913 Civil Service Pensioners their pension arrears and another 13 were paid gratuity. The Executive Secretary has also finalized payment of death benefits to 297 NoKs of the Civil Service Pension Department and 39 NoK of NITEL under Parastatal Pension Department. She promised that the process will continue until all are paid
