From Uche Usim, Abuja
Soothing news has come for federal retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) as the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has commenced the payment of their consequential pension increment.
The development follows a recent presidential approval for the implementation of the consequential adjustment to the pension benefits occasioned by the new minimum wage increase of 2019.
PTAD Executive Secretary Dr Chioma Ejikeme recently promised that the upward adjustment of pensioners’ benefits will take effect from May 2021.
Ejikeme, in a statement released on Wednesday, disclosed that pensioners in the four operational departments of the Directorate namely: Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD), Parastatals Pension Department (PaPD), Police Pension Department (PPD), and Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Department (CIPPD), have begun to receive their accrued arrears.
While acknowledging receipt of messages of gratitude from elated pensioners, the Executive Secretary assured them of PTAD’s commitment to their welfare.
She cautioned them to beware of pension fraudsters who call pensioners pretending to be staff of PTAD, reminding them that no staff of the Directorate will request for gratification before processing their pension payment.
The PTAD boss further urged the pensioners to report such phone calls and other activities of the scammers to PTAD for adequate investigations and possible prosecution.