Pensioners in the South-east have commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) for approving the use of technological-driven verification system to stamp out all forms of stress in the pension system.
The pensioners gave the commendation at the launch of Am Alive Application by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in the South-east in Enugu.
The president-general, Federal Parastatal and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria, Chief Temple Ubani, said Buhari had changed the tide and system of pension administration by the singular act of approving technology to assist the system.
“It is clear that our amiable President is continually thinking on how to better our lots and this will be further achieved by the ‘Am Alive’ application that can be operated in the comfort of our homes. Operating the Am Alive application is so simple with a few steps you are through and given a confirmation,” he said.
In his remarks, the chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Enugu state, Mr. Edwin Ofoegbu, said the Buhari administration through PTAD had changed the pension system administration to the extent that “we have a clear departure from the recent past.”
He said, “Slumping of pensioners on queue is over as well as pensioners being stranded, turning into destitute and beggars in the city for their verification is over.
“At least in my lifetime, I have seen the ‘Change’ President Buhari has promised through the new way and how senior citizens of this great country are treated fairly, with respect and love.”
On his part, the national secretary of NITEL/MTEL Pensioners, Mr. Emma Adu, thanked the federal government through PTAD for coming up with “an application so easy and less cumbersome’ that elderly people can relate to.”
“We salute President Buhari for the changes we have been seeing as pensioners, being spear-headed by PTAD. The latest being the Am Alive application, which is an innovation worth millions as far as we are concerned as pensioners.”
In an address, the executive secretary of PTAD, Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, said the Am Alive application was a giant step meant to reduce the stress of pensioners going forward while confirming whether an individual pensioner is alive or not.
“With the Am Alive application, you can do your verification in the comfort of your home and it will hit the PTAD data-base simultaneously; thus, a stress-free, seamless, concise and friendly technological app all pensioners can relate to.
“Today’s launch of the application is a test run to determine its workability; while the pensioners here today would act as those that will train their fellow colleagues,” she said.
