From Uche Usim, Abuja
Federal pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) have a cause to smile as the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has paid an additional nine months of consequential adjustment arrears occasioned by the new minimum wage increase of 2019 to Civil Service Pension Department Pensioners and six months of the same arrears to Parastatals, Police, Customs, Immigration and Prisons Department Pensioners. This brings the arrears paid so far to 18 out of the 24 months arrears of the pension increment.
The Executive Secretary PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, made the disclosure in her response to the commendations from pensioners on the payment of the arrears.
In May, the Directorate implemented the consequential adjustment on Pensions as a result of the minimum wage Increment of 2019 and commenced payment of arrears to the Pensioners of the 4 operational departments as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The civil service pensioners were paid nine months of the arrears while parastatals, Police and Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pensioners were paid 12 months arrears in May.
With this payment, each of the Pensioners in the four operational departments would have a balance of six months arrears left to be paid.
According to the ES, the payment was to further support the DBS pensioners, especially during this festive period of the celebration of this year’s Eid el-Kabir.
While wishing all Muslim pensioners a Happy Eid el-Kabir, she promised to continue to support and promote the welfare of the senior citizens in accordance with the mandate of the Directorate.