Military Pension Board to Commence Electronic Verification Exercise 

Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja 

The Military Pension Board, yesterday announced its decision to migrate from table verification of pensioners to electronic verification, with a view to improving effective pension administration in the military. 

The Chairman of the Board, AVM Paul Ichibor Irumheson, who announced this migration of verification of pensioners to digital processes during a press conference in Abuja, also explained that the verification exercise will begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of September 2024.

Irumheson, noted that the planned commencement of the Electronic Verification Exercise for esteemed Veterans, followed an approval by Minister of State for Defense Dr Bello Matawalle and the CDS Gen CG Musa.

He warned that those that fail to take part in the Verification Exercise will not get their pensions going forward.

The Chairman recalled that on 15 Feb 24, he addressed a press conference on the MPB intention to move from physical verification exercise to electronic verification exercise for military retirees. 

Speaking on the rationale behind the migration to electronic verification, the Chairman said that it was borne out of the need to avoid security risks associated with travelling from one place to the other.

Other reasons, he said, include old age of some pensioners, as well as high cost of transportation, particularly for those staying abroad. 

According to him, Sequel a pilot test of the Electronic Verification Management System was conducted from 19 February to 1 March 2024. The pilot test was very successful. Out of the 2000 pensioners that took part in the exercise only 15 persons failed.Therefore, it was very successful,” he said. He however, noted that the little observations made during the pilot exercise have been used to perfect the system. 

He said: “On this note, the Minister of State for Defense Dr Bello Matawalle and the CDS Gen CG Musa, have approved the commencement of the Electronic Verification Exercise for our esteemed Veterans. The Board will carry out sufficient public awareness and education that will assist our retired pensioners on how to carry out this verification. 

“Therefore, as the Chairman of MPB, I hereby declare the MPB Electronic Verification Exercise officially open on full scale for all our retired pensioners for a period of 3 months from 1 July to 30 September 2024”.

While advising all pensioners to take active part in the exercise, the Board warned that those that fail to take part in the Verification Exercise will not get their pensions going forward.