PTAD engages North west stakeholders on “I am Alive confirmation” portal for pensioners

By Hussaina Yakubu

Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), has engaged North West stakeholders on its “I Am Alive Confirmation” portal, which is an online confirmation for pensioners under the defined benefits scheme (DBS).

Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, Executive Secretary (ES), PTAD, made this known on Monday in Kaduna at a two-day stakeholders engagement forum for the Northwest States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

She said the web-based application is designed to confirm the aliveness of pensioners, indicating that the stakeholders forum is periodically organised to meet and interact with pensioners and Stakeholders in all the geopolitical zones of the country.

She explains that PTAD launched the “I AM Alive” Confirmation Solution in 2021 and has successfully completed the Pilot Phase where 50,000 pensioner applicants were randomly selected from the four Operational Departments and the six Geopolitical zones.

According to her, “I Am Alive confirmation” activities commenced with police pensioners from April 14 to Oct. 13, 2023, while the Nigeria Customs, Immigration, and Prisons pensioners will be starting June. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023, adding that civil service pensioners will commence on Jan. 31, 2024.

She also noted that for parastatals, universities, Health, research institutes and others are expected to start Aug. 1, 2023 to Feb. 28, 2024.

According to her, PTAD has provided a six-month grace period for every department and their pensioners to complete their “I Am Alive” Confirmation (IAAC) Solutions.

According to her, “our journey from field verifications, mobile verifications, to putting together a solid database of pensioners, benefit computation, ensuring the regular payment of monthly pensions and paying long overdue pension arrears to pensioners, has been a progressive one filled with creativity, dedication, commitment, persistence and resulting in milestone achievements.

She explained that the adjustment to pensions as a result of the increase in minimum wage of April 2019 would be done by the four operational departments in the Directorate.

“Complete liquidation of the 126 months outstanding liabilities due to ex-workers of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation;

“PTAD has completed payment of the 219 months of inherited liabilities to Ex-workers of New Nigeria Newspaper Limited;

Others are the complete payment of the 100 months of inherited liabilities to Ex-workers of NICON Insurance and complete payment of the 96 months of inherited liabilities to Ex-workers of Delta Steel Company (DSC).

She added that PTAD has also Implemented the 9.7% increment to Ex-PHCN workers with attendant arrears paid.

“The Payment of a total of 48 months of the 84 months inherited arrears owed NITEL/MTEL pensioners in December 2022, leaving a balance of 36 months for complete liquidation.”

Through the unwavering support of President Muhammadu Buhari, PTAD has completely liquidated the inherited unfunded liabilities of all the Defunct/Privatised Agencies handed over to PTAD in 2017, with the exception of NITEL/MTEL with a balance of 36 months, which we are fully committed to liquidating.

In her goodwill message, the minister of finance budget and National planning, Dr. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, commended PTAD for all it has been doing for pensioners.

The Minister who was represented at the event by Hauwa Yahaya, said pensioners are population the administration is indebted, adding that there is the need to prepare for them.

She also reiterated the administration’s commitment in doing all the needful for the pensioners which is where all will be in future.

In her presentation on the New Narrative, Nneka Obiamalu, Director, pensioner support services dept, said PTAD is determined to change the narrative for pension administration under the DBS.

She said they will continue to work towards achieving positive and sustainable change in the DBS Pension management for the almost 10 years of its operation.

In an interview, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, Secretary, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Kebbi state, expressed his appreciate to PTAD on its “I am alive confirmation”, saying that it would help pensioner without too much stress.

According to him, “I am alive confirmation” has helped pensioners overcome the stress of moving about.

The pensioner can log on to PTAD website: www.ptad.gov.ng, using a smartphone/computer system to click on the “I Am Alive” icon at the top of the page and follow the instruction.

(NAN)