Business

Pension Thieves: Stakeholders Want Enforcement Of 10-Year Jail Term

Published

12 years ago

April 25, 2014

Stakeholders in the labour sec
tor have called for the enforcement of the 10 years imprisonment for pension fund thieves as recommended in the new Pension Bill passed by the Senate.
In an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, some of the stakeholders said sending pension fund thieves to prison was long overdue.
The National President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Malam Bobboi Kaigama, said that pensioners in the country were always passing through a lot of hardships.
He expressed regrets that pensioners, who had served the nation for many years, had little or no resources to take care of their daily needs.
Kaigama said that the punishment could even be more biting, considering the sufferings the pensioners passed through.
“ It is only in this country that you see old men and women waiting in line for verification, yet they go home empty handed or probably fall and die on queue.
“It is only in Nigeria that you will hear cases of non-payment of entitlements, omission of pensioners’ names from payroll and under-payment of pensioners.
“You need to see the pitiful sight of some of these pensioners who daily suffer from either delay in pension payment, non-payment of arrears or gratuities.
“ So, tell me how this punishment can be equated to their pains but we still thank the Senate for the bold move,’’ Kaigama said.
Similarly, Mr Ibrahim Khaleel, the President, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), expressed the hope that the new bill would turn around the administration of pension system in the country.
“It is a welcome development and l have a strong conviction that the issue of corruption in pension system will be resolved.
“I know that until a serious sanction is issued on corrupt officers in Nigeria, this country will not be where it should be.
“To us in NULGE, if the law will say more than this punishment, we are comfortable with it.
“This development is a great one and NULGE is happy because it is a right step in the right direction,’’ Khaleel said.
He appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the bill into law so that it could be enforced.
In his comments, Mr Sunday Alhassan, the President, National Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees (NUPTE), said the union was happy with the decision of the Senate.
He expressed fear that the bill might not see the light of the day if the president did not sign it.
“In other parts of the world, workers usually look forward to their retirement benefits but the opposite is the case in Nigeria as workers usually dread retirement.
“‘Most cases, some civil servants usually falsify their ages to stay longer in service as life after retirement is not something to look forward to.
“Pension fund administration has been rocked with fraud and embezzlement of funds in recent times in this country, and the only thing that can save it is drastic action from to the authorities,’’ Alhassan said.
The Tide reports that the Senate on April 9 endorsed a 10-year jail for anybody convicted of stealing or misappropriating pension funds, apart from refunding three times higher the amount embezzled.
The Act also imposed a N10 million fine on any pension fund administrator who failed to meet the obligations of the contributors, while each of the directors of the firm would pay N5 million each as fines.
The Senate, after an exhaustive debate on the bill at its Committee of the Whole House, voted for its passage and urged President Jonathan to sign it as soon as possible.
However, if President Jonathan signs the bill, the Pension Reform Act 2004 is automatically repealed.

Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice, Mr Eze Onyekpere (left), with Legal Officer, Mr Kingsley Nnajiaka, at a briefing on the proposed scrapping of Fiscal Responsibility Commission in Abuja, last Wednesday.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

5 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi