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FG Pays N23bn To Pensioners In Three Months
About N22.45billion was paid to pensioners by the Federal Government under the Defined Benefit Scheme between January and March this year.
Figures obtained from the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate showed that the amount was paid to pensioners that were confirmed as genuine retirees after the recent verification.
An analysis of the amount showed that N6.66billion was paid to civil service pensioners; N12.25billion to parastatal pensioners; N1.86billion to the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Office; and N1.68billion for police pensioners.
Statistics from PTAD showed that during the three month period, N2.21billion was paid in January to 111,525 civil service pensioners and 219 retired permanent secretaries and head of service; N2.2billion was paid in February to 111,507 civil service pensioners and 218 retired permanent secretaries while N2.2billion was paid in March to 111, 484 civil service pensioners.
For civil servants under the Treasury Funded Parastatals Pension Department, the sum of N2.12billion was paid to 111,525 pensioners in January; in February and March, they had N2.21billion and N2.2billion, respectively.
Speaking on the development, the Executive Secretary, PTAD, Sharon Ikeazor, said that the Federal Government had yet to clear the outstanding 33 per cent arrears for civil service pensioners (12 months outstanding), parastatal pensioners (18-36 months outstanding) and police (12 months outstanding).
She said the directorate had been doing everything possible to clear the outstanding pensions, adding that the arrears of paramilitary pensioners had been cleared in full.
The PTAD boss said that the agency was implementing a comprehensive data management system.
Ikeazor said under the data management system, over 19,000 pensioners whose accounts did not have the required Bank Verification Number were identified and suspended from the government payroll.
She added that the pensioners that were suspended for lack of the BVN would only be reinstated after providing their BVN and undergoing due verification.
She said a continuous quality assurance process would be applied to identify any unqualified pensioner on the pension database.
Apart from the 19,000 pensioners without the BVN, Ikeazor said that about 22,021 who did not show up during the nationwide verification had been suspended from the payroll.
She said: “PTAD has successfully added 7,969 verified civil service pensioners to the payroll. These are pensioners who were verified in the South-West and North-Central in Q4 2017.
“Before this addition, over 19,500 verified civil service pensioners from the North-West, South-East, North-East and South-South had been reinstated and paid their arrears.
“Also ongoing is the computation of benefits for over 5,000 verified civil service pensioners. This will conclude the payroll of all verified civil service pensioners.
“We have also added over 700 verified parastatal pensioners from the Federal Housing Authority to the payroll to begin to receive monthly pensions.”
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
