The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate says it has paid a total of N3.37bn to pensioners that worked in187 agencies.
It also announced that it paid the sum of N1.02bn outstanding severance benefits to 1,596 verified eligible ex-workers and next of kin of deceased ex-workers of Savannah Sugar Company Limited.
According to PTAD, the development was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to resolve and ensure accurate computation and payment of the balance of the one-off terminal benefits for the workers who were disengaged in 2002 when the company was privatised.
PTAD in a statement issued on Sunday said that 1,192 ex-workers got N723,546,067.24, while 404 next of kin got N300,878,823.82.
The directorate advised ex-workers in the diaspora who did not take part in the verification and biometric capture in Jimeta–Yola, Adamawa State in February 2019 to visit PTAD headquarters in Abuja.
It added that ex-workers in the diaspora could also visit the agency’s North-East regional office in Yola, Adamawa State when they return to the country to be verified.
“They will be required to present the original and photocopies of their career documents, original stamped and signed bank statement for one month, BVN slip with clear picture (stamped and signed by the bank), valid means of identification and one coloured passport photograph,” PTAD said.
It added the payment to pensioners of 187 agencies was in fulfilment of government’s promise to clear outstanding pension arrears for pensioners under the defined benefit scheme.
The directorate said, “This (N3.4bn) payment covers six months of the outstanding arrears of the 33 per cent pension increment for pensioners across five sectors as follows, education, health, Other Public Sector Research Institute, power and universities.
“PTAD has now offset 30 months arrears for pensioners in agencies across five sectors under Parastatals Pension Department.”
It noted that between June 2016 and December 2018, PTAD paid 24 months arrears to pensioners in these agencies.
The agency stated that at the time it took over the payment of parastatals pension in 2015, the directorate had inherited outstanding 33 per cent pension increment liabilities from the various agencies.
The directorate assured those involved that all arrears would be paid in due course.
