Minister of Interior Praises PTAD Management on Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) Pension Administration
The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Dr Chioma Ejikeme in company of some of PTAD management team have continued to receive commendations on the Directorate’s management of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS). The latest commendation was made by the Minister of Interior, Honourable Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo during a courtesy visit by the E.S. and her team to the Office of Ministry of Interior on Thursday 7th December, 2023.
During the visit, the E.S. gave a brief overview of PTAD; the categories of Pensioners under PTAD mandate; challenges and successes of the Directorate, as well as the “I Am Alive” confirmation (IAAC). She further explained that when PTAD was established, it inherited unvalidated pension payrolls which led to the start of pensioner verifications in 2015 to validate and build a credible database of bonafide Federal Government ex-workers. However, pensioners who are in the diaspora and are unable to return to Nigeria due to age or ill-health are yet to be validated and their biometrics captured by PTAD. In this regard, the E.S. used the opportunity to request collaboration with the Honorable Minister and his team with regards to verification of DBS pensioners in the diaspora to make sure they can confirm their aliveness and continue to receive their pension entitlements.
Responding, the Minister of Interior, Honourable Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo congratulated and commended PTAD on the job the Directorate has been doing. He acknowledged that the Ministry and Directorate are partners in progress with a big role in actualizing the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and so must work together to make services easy and seamless especially for pensioners who are vulnerable and have a pride of place in society.
He promised that the Ministry would collaborate with the Directorate in every way possible especially in the area of data integration so that there can be a seamless digital handshake with the Nigeria Immigration Service to make sure that pensioners in the diaspora who cannot come back to Nigeria due to age can be verified wherever they are and their aliveness confirmed.