New PTAD Boss Pledges to End Pensioners’ Pains

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Former National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate,, Sharon Ikeazor, has pledged to put an end to difficulties associated with the payment of benefits to pensioners.

Speaking in an interview with THISDAY shortly after resuming duties at the headquarters of PTAD in Abuja, Ikeazor said it is painful to note that pension payments to retired workers have been habitually delayed for months, sometimes for years before they are paid out.

She described pensioners as mainly the elderly persons made up of fathers, mothers, uncles and ex-service men.

“We must do everything to make their lives easy. Pension payment should not be a pain, it must be a pleasure. So we must try and make pension payment a highly pleasurable exercise,” he said.

She said though she will treat the workers of the agency with utmost empathy, there will also be zero tolerance for corruption.

“As you attend to pensioners, empathy should be your watch-word. We have to apply the best global best practices. We have to do all that is necessary so PTAD will continue to excel.

” At PTAD, our responsibilities are clearly defined. As you a ware, we are tasked primarily with ensuring the timely payment of benefits and other entitlements to pensioners,” she said.