The Federal Government has stated that plans have been concluded to ensure pensioners across the country enjoy minimum wage review and consequential adjustment benefits, saying more would be done in prioritising retirees’ welfare by the current administration.
To achieve this, the apex government said that it would begin payment of pension that would reflect an increase in the minimum wage as approved by the government for the implementation of the consequential adjustment to the pension benefits after the 2019 minimum wage review.
The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, said that the new pension regime for all retirees would commence from May 2021.
Briefing newsmen on Friday in Abuja, the PTAD boss said that the agency would commence the upward adjustment of all pensioners’ benefits according to the approved template, adding that the arrears would also take effect from April 2019 which would be paid together when the agency begins payment in May.
“As a responsible Agency of government saddled with the mandate of overseeing the payment of pension benefits to pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme and taking care of their welfare, we are encouraged to do more for our pensioners. We will continue to strive to improve the quality of their lives,” she said.
Ejikeme who further clarified that the agency would request any gratification from the senior citizens before the money would be paid into their account, warned the retirees to strictly guard their pensions and expend its on favorable venture.
“They should not give their account details to anybody. They should report any scammer or anyone requesting gratification before their benefits would be paid to PTAD.
“I repeat, do not give money to anybody. We have concluded arrangements to send SMS to all pensioners informing them of the payment and to caution them on the activities of pension scammers.
“We continue to appeal to pension Unions to continue to partner and cooperate with the Directorate in our bid to provide better services to our Senior Citizens,” she said.
