By Helen Ovbiagele

When we put out, the other week, some readers’ responses to our  piece on the annual agony Federal Government pensioners go through in the verification exercise, we thought it was a closed issue on our part for the time being.  We had created the awareness of  the problem, and it was left to the federal government to show genuine concern and make amends.  To our surprise, publishing those reactions triggered off even more reactions from pensioners.

The Vanguard was set up as a people-friendly paper, with a view to seeking a better life for the people, so, we had to honour these people who have served our nation, and let them express their minds on a matter which they obviously feel very aggrieved about.

This time around, many of them are not telling us their experiences, but rather, they are proffering ways by which the exercise, which they all seem to agree is necessary, can be made less tedious for them.

‘Madam, I hope you haven’t shut the door for pensioners’ views on the annual verification exercise, which many of us have now come to dread every year.  If you have, please re-open it just one more time, because, I’m sure there are many pensioners out there who would have something important to say on the issue.  What’s the way forward in this matter?

First and foremost, the office of the head of civil service which handles pensioners’ issues should be thoroughly cleansed so that it can shed the bad image many of us have of it. Staff there can’t pretend they don’t know what I’m talking about.

That department should reflect integrity, and transparent honesty, and abhor shady deals in the way they handle pensioners’ issues, and all other issues, for that matter.  The verification exercise may not be necessary if they discharge their duties in an above-board manner.  Thank you, madam.  Pa  Ola, Ogun state.’

Pensioners queuing for verification

‘May I contribute to the pension saga?  The fact is one suspects there’s rotten corruption in the office of the Head of civil service of the federal government.  Do you know that up till now, they’ve not paid gratuity and pension arrears for staff who have retired ten years and above, after ten verification exercises?  –  Bola Awokoya.’

‘My sister Helen, I’ve just read readers’ view to pensioners’ verification exercise.  I missed the actual piece.  However, my contribution is this.  The whole system pertaining to pensioners’ matters should be thoroughly overhauled.  Staff there are not alive to their responsibility, and they’re not performing at all, in my own view.  I and some federal government pensioners I know, are being owed many months of pension payments.

Yet, every year we duly present ourselves for the verification exercise.  After that, nothing.  Why?  If the government hasn’t made provision for us to be paid, the department should tell the world.  Where’s the money voted for us?  My monthly pension is just about twenty thousand naira.  How am I supposed to live on that in my late sixties?  With the non payment of this paltry sum, things are even worse, because one has nothing to manage on.  If I didn’t have the support of my children, I would be starving.

One has become a financial burden to one’s children, and they have their own financial obligations too.  Also, the yearly verification exercise is too tedious for many of us, particularly those who have become very old and those who are physically challenged.  An ID card should be issued to us to present every year to show that we’re still alive.  –   Mrs M. Noyemi, Lagos.’

Madam, please help tell the federal government that what pensioners need is a permanent ID card which they would take to the verification centres every year.  This would make the whole process faster and less tiring for us.  Also, they should seriously look into the issue of non-payment of pensions.

They  should start this new year with payment of all they’re owing us.  Where does the money allocated to us, go?  I hope President Jonathan is aware of what’s happening to pensioners of the federal government, nationwide. –  Thanks –  Funlola’

‘Re: Pensioners’ I’m Alive Exercise.  Thanks for highlighting recently in your regular Sunday column, Vista Woman, in the Sunday Vanguard, the indignities pensioners are subjected to especially during the yearly verification exercise, as a result of lack of reliable date base of pensioners.  We hope therefore that with the latest exercise, the pension office should be in position to develop a reliable date base of pensioners.

Furthermore, the issuance of ID cards to pensioners who do not have one, should be hastened.  Also, as pension payment is through the banks, the pension office should maintain a close relationship with the banks  in order to detect fake and fraudulent pensioners.

In addition, in future, with the above safe-guards in  place, only the following details will pensioners be required to submit (a) passport photograph (b) bank details © next-of-kin and (d) ID card.  Thus, making future verification exercise painless.  Thanks – Uchenna, Asokoro, Abuja.’

Madam Helen,  I support the reader who said that pensioners should individually be notified by e-mail or texts, the day in which their set or group would be required to turn up for the annual verification exercise.  This is not a mammoth task, neither would it be very expensive.  Most families have at least one mobile phone, and we have internet services all over the country.

Some of the major mobile phone service providers, may even offer to allow the text messages go free from the government to the pensioners, as part of their service to the community.  With this individual notice, pensioners would be well prepared, and things would move faster.  Publishing the dates in the newspapers is silly.  How many pensioners can afford to take in papers daily, especially with the non-payment of their pensions?

Also, how do they know which papers the consultants would choose and what day?  I think the consultants put in ‘publications in the media’, just to up their fees.  They’re intelligent enough to know that it wouldn’t reach most of those the adverts are intended for.’

‘Madam, with regards to the verification exercise for pensioners, an ID card which is updated every five years, is the answer to making it less tedious.  Also, those who conduct it, should do so on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and not show any favouritism and allow people to jump queue.  There should be several service points in cities where there’s a large number of pensioners, so that the pensioners can be attended to quickly, and they can return home.

Staff at a centre where a pensioner dies in queue, should be charged to court.  The authorities are so slack about human life in this country.  I’ve never heard that the cause of death at this centre is investigated, and with the aim of prosecuting anyone.  It is only fair that the government should pay for the burial of any pensioner who dies while waiting for the verification exercise.  Thanks,  Uba,  Ikeja.’

I’m afraid these are all we can take.  We thank all those who sent in their views.  Let’s hope that the office of the Head of Civil Service  reads these views, and will turn things around for the better for our pensioners soon.