Military Pensions Board Pays Second Tranche of 24 Months Arrears
Kingsley Nwezeh
The Military Pensions Board (MPB) said yesterday it has effected the payment of the second tranche of 25 per cent of the arrears of minimum wage increment to eligible military retirees.
It said the payment was made to eligible military retirees on Friday, May 6, 2022 and concluded the exercise on Tuesday, May 10, 2022.
The board said payments were for arrears of increment in pensions of military retirees, who are on MPB payroll between April 18, 2019 and April 30, 2021, occasioned by the new National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2019.
A statement by the board said that all Next of Kins (NOKs) of deceased military pensioners who are entitled to arrears were paid in full.
“The payments were made to the various bank accounts of pensioners on the MPB payroll. Consequently, all eligible military pensioners are advised to contact their banks for their entitlements.
“This payment is the second instalment being paid to eligible military retirees, who are active on the board’s data base and it is in fulfilment of the agreement reached between the board and the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for quarterly releases of the appropriated sum in the first month of each quarter of this year,” it said.
The statement signed by the Chairman of the board, Rear Admiral Sabiru Lawal, said: “The MPB is up to date in the payment of monthly pensions and gratuities to our military pensioners/retirees and has fully settled the death benefits of all confirmed NOKs of deceased military personnel/pensioners.”
It assured that the board would ensure the complete payment of the 24 months arrears before the end of the year.
“The MPB wishes to assure our esteemed military retirees/pensioners, NOKs of deceased military personnel and other well-meaning Nigerians that the board remains resolute and will ensure complete payment of the 24 months minimum wage arrears before the end of the year, subject to release of funds by the finance ministry”, it said.
