Protests Over Pensions: House  Committee Embarks On Facts-Finding  In PTAD Over Delays, Non-payments

Following series of protests by retirees against delays and non-payment of their pensions, the House of Representatives have embarked on fact findings on the causes of either delayed or non-payments of pensions to the protesting pensioners nationwide as at when due.

The members of the House of Representatives Committee on Pensions were on Tuesday, at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) corporate headquarters in Abuja for verification in course of their oversight functions.

OPTIMUM TIMES reports that in July, in Abuja, members of the National Association of Police Retirees protested over peanuts being paid to them as pension and gratuity.

File photograph of recent protesting pensioners

Also, in August in Lagos, pensioners staged their protest at the office of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), over the non-implementation of the 32,000 naira pension increment approved by the Federal Government since July, 2024.

They also protested on alleged mismanagement of palliative funds meant for senior citizens and what they described as continued neglect and injustice.

Recently in September also, many retired Nigerian soldiers blocked the entrance of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, protesting the alleged delay in releasing funds to the Military Pensions Board (MPB) for the payment of their outstanding entitlements.

However, the visit by the House of Representatives committee led by the Committee Chairman, Hon. Jallo Hussaini Mohammed, provided an avenue for the Committee to assess PTAD’s operations and review its budget performance for 2024 as well as the first half of 2025.

The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Tolulope Odunaiya, in her welcome address expressed gratitude to the Committee for its consistent support and collaboration with the Directorate.

While giving an overview of the Directorate’s budget performance, she enumerated the key achievements of the Directorate on the successful implementation of the 20/28% pension increment (wef January 2024) into its September 2024 pension payroll and full settlement of the accrued arrears.

She further stated there is continuous arrears payment of the N32K, 10.66% and 12.95% pension increments with the available savings made from successive balance of funds in the pension sub-head after paying the monthly pension.

Odunaiya also disclosed that the Directorate had secured Presidential approval for the inclusion of critical pension-related items in the 2026 budget proposal.

These included funding for the full implementation of the N32,000 pension increment, settlement of unfunded pension liabilities, the proposed pension harmonization policy, and health insurance coverage for Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners.

While reaffirming PTAD’s steadfast commitment to DBS pensioners, she acknowledged the invaluable partnership and oversight role of the National Assembly in strengthening pension administration in Nigeria.

She also highlighted key challenges facing the Directorate and sought the Committee’s support in addressing them, according to a statement by Olugbenga Ajayi, Head, Corporate Communications.

In his response, Honourable Jallo Hussaini Mohammed commended PTAD for its notable strides in enhancing pension payments and improving service delivery.

He assured that the Committee would continue to work closely with PTAD to ensure the welfare of DBS Pensioners remained a national priority.