By Chijioke Okoronkwo
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate(PTAD), says it is working with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission to harmonise pensions.
Dr Chioma Ejikeme, Executive Secretary, PTAD, made this known on Thursday while featuring in the 58th edition of the State House briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team in Abuja.
Ejikeme said that the harmonisation would address complaints of inequity and structural imbalance in pensions.
“Your pension is calculated based on the salary structure that was operational at your point of retirement.
“So, that is to say that over years, when salary structure changes, you are still you were you were; nothing changes; and anybody who has retired after you on the same grade level, same step, same number of years put in service but with a different salary structure operational at his point of retirement, will be earning more than you.”
According to him, there are cases where people who retired on same parameters receive different pensions.
“You see two different Inspectors-General of Police, they spend the same number of years; retired with the same step, the same grade level, but this man is earning N100,000 and the other man is earning N500,000 and that is because at the point that this particular man retired, the parameters and salary structure used were for him to get a pension of N100, 000.
“We are working on that harmonisation with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission.
“A committee is in place to look into that; harmonise pensions and bring equity in pensions that our pensioners earn and I am hoping that very soon, we will be able to get that to a conclusive stage.’’
The executive secretary said that the directorate was also looking forward to start the implementation constitutional provision of five-yearly pension increment which for our pensioners.
She said that the last increment was done in 2019, while the next increment was supposed to be due in 2024.
“We are also looking at payment of arrears to next of kin deceased pensioners; it is a work in progress and we are continuing with that,’’ she said(NAN)
