By Rosemary Iwunze

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has reiterated its commitment to protection of Pensioners’ rights and their wellbeing.

To this end, the Directorate said, it has introduced various initiatives aimed at actualising its mandate which is to manage pension benefits for Federal Government retirees under the old Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), who did not transit to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) sponsored by PTAD in Lagos, the Executive Secretary/CEO, Mrs. Tolulope Odunaiya, highlighted the mandates of the Directorate and their achievements so far.

Odunaiya, who was represented at the occasion by Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Olugbenga Ajayi said the Directorate is fully committed to protecting the pensioners’ rights to pension as well as their wellbeing.

According to Ajayi, the Directorate was specifically established to handle pensions of those who did not move to the Contributory Pension Scheme, noting that, PTAD’s mandate is to ensure that eligible pensioners receive their due pension payments promptly and accurately.

“Since establishment of PTAD in 2013, and up till this present moment, PTAD has never failed to pay pensions every month, that is why we have been able to take pensioners out of the streets; that is one of the credibility the present government is enjoying because nobody is diverting money meant for payment of pensions anymore,” he said.

He stated that the Directorate has continued to introduce various initiatives to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness, some of which are; Field Verification, I Am Alive Confirmation, Mobile Verification, among others.

“As we progressed, we discovered that we shouldn’t be calling our fathers and mothers, especially, those from far distance to come and do verification here in Lagos and a technology was introduced. We call the technology ‘I Am Alive’ Confirmation.”