Following reports of street protest that rocked Abeokuta, Ogun State on Friday by some pensioners, which led to a disruption of business and commercial activities, a media advocacy group for good governance in Africa, Africa Media Roundtable Initiative, (AMRI) has urged the affected pensioners to lodge official complaint at the National Pension Commission, PenCom, whenever they feel dissatisfied or confused about Pension administration instead of protests or media trial, expressing confidence that they would get justice under the Aisha Dahiru-Umar led PenCom
The pensioners under the aegis of Association of Contributory Pension Sector, South West Zone during their protest alleged that PenCom has frustrated efforts to make them receive their hard earned allowances after serving the country meritoriously.
AMRI urged the senior citizens to shun street protests which it says could be hijacked by the enemies of the country who wish to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens but advised that they should rather direct their energy to seeking redress under the visionary and focused leadership of the Director General of PenCom, Aisha Dahiru-Umar.
In a release on Saturday, the Executive Director of AMRI, Engr. Charles Awolowo noted that it is sad for senior citizens to be denied their gratuities under any disguise but absolved the leadership of PenCom of allegations of undermining efforts to ensure that members of Association of Contributory Pension Sector, South West Zone are paid as and when due.
Engr. Awolowo noted that since the establishment of PenCom, no leadership of the commission has demonstrated commitment to ensure that senior citizens are happy and well catered for than the current management under Aisha Dahiru-Umar. He pointed that PenCom in the last few years have been free of allegations, rancour and corruption due to sound and accountable Leadership the Pension Czar of the year has brought to bear.
"I do not agreed with our respected senior citizens that PenCom is responsible for any infraction that has caused a delay in the receipt of their gratuities as and when due. We are all witnesses to how the Director General of the Commission, Hajia Aisha Dahiru-Umar has continued to introduce innovations that will enhance the post-service life of our respected retirees and expand the solid base of the the institution for better service delivery over the recent years of her outstanding Leadership.
"It is gratifying to note that the protesting retirees are drawn from federal establishments including the University College Hospital, Ibadan, University of Ibadan, University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and Lagos and Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, NIPOST and others.
"Needless to state that the federal government has been very consistent in the remittance of the monthly contributions of its employees as against the claims of the retirees that their contributions are not remitted.
"This is a woman under whose watch the pension industry membership has grown to 9.4 million contributors as at 2021. As at today, the over 380,454 retirees who are regularly receiving pension under the Contributory Pension Scheme are happy that PenCom has reduced the burden associated with assessing the entitlements due to them.
"Again, under the management of Mrs. Aisha Dahiru-Umar, as a deliberate effort to enhance the monthly pension benefits of retirees under the CPS, the commission initiated the pension enhancement for retirees under the Programmed Withdrawal Arrangement. This was as a result of the high returns being generated by the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) on the balances of the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of majority of retirees.
"Consequently, the monthly pensions for over 60% of retirees receiving pension under the Programmed Withdrawal arrangement was increased. Accordingly, the PFAs commenced the enhancement of pensions of eligible retirees under this arrangement as far back as December 2017.
"AMRI is not oblivious of the fact that Pension Fund managers in Nigeria have been recording stellar performances in their various portfolios year-to-date under the supervision of PenCom, owing to their systematic investments, so as to edge other competitors in the industry. Competition in the industry has grown significantly since contributors can now easily transfer from one administrator to another, another area the current Leadership have done extremely well.
"Little wonder why Nigeria’s pension fund assets soared to over N13 trillion ($31.69 billion) in September 2021, up from N12.9 trillion recorded in August.
"These are clear pointers that we have a robust pension regulator that is committed to ensuring that our senior citizens live a modest life after committing their youthful age in the service of their fatherland" he said.
Engr. Awolowo while regretting the plight of the retirees on the alleged non payment of gratuities called on them to take advantage of the human and humane nature of the PenCom leadership under Dahiru-Umar to table their grievances instead of resorting to street protests that will not only endanger their lives but that of other residents especially as security concerns escalate in the region.
