Reps to quiz Adeosun, others over N302bn pension fund By Musa Abdullahi Krishi

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The House of Representatives will today summon the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and other officials over N302 billion pension fund.

Others to appear before the House at plenary on the matter next week are the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, heads of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

Receiving members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners during a visit in Abuja yesterday, Speaker Yakubu Dogara said the affected officials would brief the House at plenary on why the N302bn pension liabilities had not received adequate attention.

Dogara said prompt payment of pension is a constitutional matter adding that “Except there are reasons for us not to pay, then we will be breaching the constitution. If we’re fighting corruption, we must address issues that have capability of stalling the fight.

“Relevant ministries and all heads of agencies will appear before us on the floor at plenary. There will be a motion on the matter. Let them come and tell Nigerians for us to be sure that by the end of this 2017 we will get out of this.”

President of the union, Dr Abel Afolayan, said the 2017 budget had not provided sufficient fund for payment of pensions in the two pension schemes under PTAD and PenCom.

He said the 2017 pension proposal under social benefits are; civil service, N102.425bn; Customs, Immigration and Prisons, N10.131bn; police, N15.773bn; parastatals, N174.075bn, totalling N302.405bn.

He explained that the Executive arm submitted N109.123bn leaving a difference of N193.282bn.

Giving the breakdown of liabilities, he said the amount owed pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme of PTAD are; civil service pensions, N55.337bn; parastatals pensions, N110.843bn; police pension, N6.799bn and Customs, Immigration and Prisons pensions, N1.528bn, totalling N174.501bn.

He added that the major challenge was how to get the amount paid and called on the House to ensure appropriation of sufficient fund for settlement of pension benefits in 2017.

Culled from Daily Trust