Pensioners welfare: PTAD, Budget Office forge alliance to fast-track prompt payment 

In a  move to enhance the welfare of the Defined Benefit Scheme pensioners, the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Tolulope Odunaiya, paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Tanimu Yakubu, in Abuja.

The high-level meeting centered on improving coordination and efficiency in the handling of pension-related matters, with a shared commitment to ensuring that retirees receive their entitlements promptly and without bureaucratic delay.

Odunaiya, who has consistently championed pensioners’ welfare since assuming office, emphasized the critical need for deeper collaboration between PTAD and the Budget Office. According to her, “Our pensioners deserve not just dignity in retirement, but also confidence in the system that serves them. Strengthening our ties with the Budget Office is key to unlocking that.”

As part of her proposals, the PTAD Executive Secretary advocated the establishment of a joint technical committee to proactively tackle systemic issues, streamline inter-agency communication, and develop sustainable, responsive frameworks for pension payment obligations.

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Mr. Yakubu, in his response, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely and necessary step. He commended PTAD’s drive for reform and transparency, and formally approved the creation of the joint committee, to be composed of senior officials from both PTAD and the Budget Office.

“The challenges faced by our pensioners must be met with decisive and coordinated action,” Yakubu noted. “This committee will not just review issues but propose actionable, measurable solutions to ensure obligations are met on time and in full.”

The newly constituted joint committee is expected to commence work immediately, with a mandate to review existing processes, identify bottlenecks, and recommend reforms to both institutions.

This collaboration signals renewed hope for pensioners who have long called for improved administrative efficiency and faster resolution of pension discrepancies. Stakeholders in the pension sector have praised the move as a step in the right direction.