PTAD pays N395m death benefits for 238 late pensioners

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate has processed and paid N395,559,795.09 as death benefits and gratuity to 238 deceased and retired pensioners as of July 19, 2024.

This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme, during the inauguration of the Kwara State office of the agency in Ilorin, on Tuesday.

She said the directorate was determined to address all legitimate complaints of non-payment of gratuities to some pensioners and death benefits to the next-of-kin of deceased pensioners across all the pension departments.

The PTAD boss also said that she inaugurated a Directorate-Wide Expanded NOK and Gratuity Project in December 2023, following complaints from next-of-kin of deceased pensioners and some pensioners concerning non-payment of inherited liabilities.

Ejikeme, who said the project was still ongoing, added that the rest of the NoK and gratuity benefit claims files were still undergoing checks and validation.

“Because, as I often say, any money that is wrongly paid to a NOK beneficiary is like money put in the belly of the tiger, as it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to recover.

“Nevertheless, it is worthy to note that PTAD is working tirelessly with relevant stakeholders and respective high courts of justice across the federation to ensure that the Letters of Administration in favour of the NOK are validated within the shortest timeframe and other related checks completed to enable the remaining beneficiaries to receive their entitlements in the shortest possible time,” she said.

Ejikeme said PTAD had opened 11 state offices across the six geopolitical zones of the country since its inception in 2013, adding that the Kwara office made it the 12th PTAD state office, in addition to the FCT Abuja office, which is the headquarters.

“PTAD has offices in Yola, Awka, Maiduguri, Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Sokoto, Yobe, and now, Ilorin,” she said.

The PTAD boss encouraged pensioners who were yet to confirm their aliveness through the “I Am Alive” confirmation solution to do so.

“I continue to enjoin the pension union executives here to assist the directorate in spreading this information to their members.

“Our officers are also here and available to assist anyone who is having challenges confirming their aliveness. We have also come with a mobile team to visit infirm and bed-ridden pensioners to assist with their confirmation.

“To our prospective new enrollees, the legacy pensioners from the Federal Mortgage Finance Limited and the Federal Mortgage Bank whom we are presently verifying, I say welcome to PTAD. I want to assure and reassure you of PTAD’s commitment to your welfare.

“Finally, I would like to express our profound gratitude to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, for his commitment to the welfare of our pensioners through the timely, prompt, continuous and uninterrupted release of funds for the payment of monthly pensions and the continued liquidation of inherited pension liabilities,” she said.