Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) had deleted over 51,000 fake pensioners in the country. According to report, the ghost workers were uncovered in the Federal Civil Service, Parastatals, Police, Customs, Immigration and the Prisons.
The PTAD discovered that these ghost workers, found on its payroll, have fraudulently been receiving pension for decades.
“The 51,000 fake pensioners represented about 23 per cent of 226,693 pensioners on PTAD pension payroll as at March 2024. And out of the 51,000 fake pensioners, 43,000 were uncovered in the Civil Service.
This development came following a notification in February 2024 to all pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). PTAD had warned that pensioners who fail to confirm their ‘aliveness’ by March 31, 2024 will be eliminated from the pension payroll.
The Directorate, however assured that affected pensioners that are able to confirm their ‘aliveness’ after now, will be automatically restored back to pension payroll.
However, the latest exercise by PTAD is not coming with challenges. According to top sources in the ministry of finance, PTAD and executive in the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), the Directorate has being on the firing line. This is even as some corrupt people especially in the civil service accusing PTAD for daring to eliminate the padded names on its payroll.
Recall that PTAD has been working towards eliminating the fake pensioners for about a year now. But had always encountered challenges from benefitting elements in the system.
To achieve their goal, the Directorate was recommended to the Presidency for scrapping.
“Specifically, PTAD which has been operating as an agency was listed to become a department under the Ministry of Finance.
However, the challenges, notwithstanding, the PTAD yesterday announced it has eliminated the fake pensioners from its payroll.
This was contained in a message on the Directorate twitter (X) handle by the Head, Corporate Communications Unit, Olugbenga Ajayi. He wrote: “Attention: Following the notification in February 2024 to all pensioners under the DBS, PTAD wishes to inform pensioners who failed to confirm aliveness on their due date that they have been suspended from the pension payroll.
“If the affected pensioners confirm aliveness after their due date, they will be automatically restored back to pension payroll. They will recieve payment in the next payroll cycle. And the arrears for every month or payment cycle missed, will be computed and added to the pension.
“We would like pensioners to note that PTAD will never request for BVN, ATM Card details, ATM Card PIN for “I Am Alive” confirmation. Or cash to process pension payment hence you should beware of fraudsters”, he added.
source: The Nation
