House Invites HoS, Accountant General, DG PenCom, Others over Non-payment of Pensioners’ Gratuities

Juliet Akoje

The House of representatives has invited the Head of Service (HoS) of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan; Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Anamekwe Nwabuoku, the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Aisha Dahir Umar and the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme to appear before its Committees on Pension and Public Service Matters and provide explanations for the non-payment of pensions and gratuities to retired federal civil servants for nine months.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to Investigate the Non-payment of Pension Arrears of Retired Federal Civil Servants by PTAD,’ moved by Hon. Sergius Ose Ogun at yesterday’s plenary.

The lawmaker while presenting the motion noted that Section 88 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)

empowers the National Assembly to conduct investigations into the activities of any authority executing or administering laws made by the National Assembly.

Furthermore, he added that Section 14(2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that the security and welfare of the people of Nigeria shall be the primary purpose of government.

Ogun stressed that Section 32(b) of the Pension Reform Act Cap P4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 saddles PTAD with the responsibility of carrying out functions aimed at ensuring the welfare of pensioners.

He said: “Pensioners under the defined benefits scheme of PTAD are reportedly owed monthly pensions and gratuities for a cumulative period of nine months.

“The claim that the failure of PTAD to pay pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme for the said period of nine months is as a result of

technological glitches”

He further noted that the failure of PTAD to pay pensioners’ monthly pensions and gratuities based on technological glitches amounts to gross incompetence and ineffectiveness on the part of PTAD.

“The claim by PTAD that the technological glitches which caused it to be in arrears of pension and gratuities is in the domain of the Accountant General of the Federation and Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) is unacceptable,” he added.

The House however mandated its Committees on Pension, Public Service Matters and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance with this resolution and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.