PTAD Boss Decries Absence of Credible Database on Parastatal Pensions

Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, director general, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, said yesterday that the absence of credible database has been hampering the activities of her agency.

Mayshak stated this in Abuja at a one-day sensitization workshop for Treasury Funded Parastatals and their Pension Boards of Trustee.

Mayshak said she did not inherit any pensioners data when she took up appointment last year.

She therefore said that, the directorate would embark on a pensioners verification and biometric data gathering exercise across the country before the end of the year.

To this end,  Mayshak said she was meeting with labour unions and other interested parties to work out acceptable modalities for carrying out the verification exercise.

The expected result of the Verification and Biometric Data Capture Exercise, according to her,  would include the establishment of a comprehensive, authentic and credible database of pensioners.

The exercise, she added, would ensure effective planning and management of pensions, elimination of ghost pensioners, elimination of duplication of payments, correction and eradication of anomalies such as over payments and short payments.

She also said payment of pensions, gratuities, death benefits and other pensioner entitlements and update records of next of kins; and enrollment of new pensioners would form part of its agency’s functions.

She said that the directorate had realised that some people would be opposed to change because they have entrenched interests.

She said, “These people are welcome to hold their views so long as they don’t interfere with the running of PTAD.”

The PTAD boss vowed to resist interference with her duties from individuals and organisations that are opposed to change since they have vested interests.

She specifically identified one of the challenges facing the directorate as “resistance to change/entrenched interest.”

She noted that the agency was equally facing the challenges of lack of adequate awareness by some concerned stakeholders, like the Pension Board of Trustees, Pensioners and other critical stakeholders.

Other aspects giving the agency some concern according to her, included wrong impression or misperception of PTAD by some PBOTs Pensioners; the huge pension liabilities; and mismanagement of pension funds by defunct PBOTs.

The PTAD boss also admitted that the directorate was facing challenges with complaints from pensioners on the performance of Board of Trustees  as well as Trapped funds with underwriters under her watch.

Mayshak said “there has not been a single incident of misappropriation of pension funds since PTAD and there will never be because the directorate has zero tolerance for corruption.In the last one year.

She said the PTAD had established a robust complaints resolution mechanism; Improved services for Pensioners; Improved understanding and collaboration with unions and partners.