PENCOM assure retirees of speedy payment of entitlements

THE National Pension Commission (PENCOM) on Monday assured civil servant retirees of speedy payment of their entitlements.

This is coming on the heels of a recent protest at the agency’s headquarters over non-payment of retirees’ entitlements, recruitment amongst others.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja in support of the agency, President of the Civil Society Coalition for Transparency, (CSCT) Mike Femi, said the delay experienced in the payment of retirees’ pension was not the making of the Director General (DG)Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar.

His words: “We recognise the importance of this agency to all Nigerians especially our retired civil servants who have served this country meritoriously and as the custodian of their contributory pension scheme (CPS), hence our fact-finding mission.

“Our finding revealed that these problems have been in existence before the coming of the director general, Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar and we understand that efforts are on to settle these problems.

On the recruitment saga, he explained that the Commission got approval to recruit some staff under the leadership of the erstwhile DG but was unable to complete the process before she was edge out of office by the current administration.

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He said the former DG handed over to Mrs Dahiru-Umar on acting capacity who was then the most senior officer in the Agency.

“Consequently, Aisha could not continue the process because the federal character committee of the Nigerian Senate places a bound on the recruitment thereby making it impossible for the candidate that has been screen and interview to resume work.

But our finding also shows that the commission is still in touch with the National Assembly to see ways we can resolve this pending issue,” he said.

He said her coming on board actually stabilise the Commission and has been able to display a transparent leadership that engenders productivity.

“On the management imbalance, Aisha confidently confirm to us that all the six geopolitical zones are ably represented, No zone has been left out and we also understand that no project has been awarded.