The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) said it has spent N79.1 billion on payment of monthly pension to pensioners in 2018.
The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Ms Sharon Ikeazor, made this known at a one day interactive forum for pensioners from North Central Zone in Abuja on Thursday.
Ikeazor explained that the sum of N6.8 billion monthly pension was paid to Customs, Immigration and Prison Pension Department (CIPPD), while N45 billion was paid to pensioners in Parastatals Pension Department (PPD).
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She said that within the year under review, about N21.2 billion was paid to pensioners under Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD) and N6.1 billion was also paid to pensioners with Police Pension Department (PPD).
The executive secretary disclosed that about N2.7 billion pension benefits of deceased workers was paid to 2,024 Next of Kin in various pension departments.
She explained that N277 million was paid to 337 Next of Kin under the civil service pension department, while 649 family relatives under parastatals received N613.4 million.
Ikeazor said that 1,019 next of Kin from Health and Education sectors got N1.9 billion and 19 of them from Delta Steel Company received N25.9 million.
She said 30,770 CSPD’s pensioners who had not been on the payroll now had their benefits computed and put back on the payroll with their arrears paid.
According to her, as at March 2019, an additional 1,655 pensioners have also been computed and paid.
She also disclosed that 14,678 pensioners from various agencies under the PaPD were verified and the benefits were computed and equally paid to them.
“Planning has been concluded for the verification of pensioners under the parastatals pension department.
“The directorate is also carrying out a pension satisfaction survey to gauge the pulse of our pensioners, measure their satisfaction with PTAD service delivery and obtain necessary feedback.
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“This is aimed towards improving on our service commitment, therefore, pensioners are advised and encouraged to be factual in their response,” she said.
A cross section of pensioners who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) expressed joy over the reform being carried out by the present administration to ensure prompt payment of pensions.
Mr Abubakar Ahmed told NAN that things had changed as he now received his pension monthly unlike in the past.
Ahmed noted that pensioners were no longer sleeping on the street in attempt to get his or her pension paid.
Mr John Atabo, another pensioner also commended PTAD for prompt payment of pension and other benefits. (NAN)
