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The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja inaugurated a 25-member Federal Civil Service Pension Complaints Resolution Committee to address various complaints of pensioners in the country.
Alhaji Bukar Aji, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, at the inauguration, said that pension administration in Nigeria had been tumultuous and problematic.
Aji said that the office had in November assumed the responsibility for direct monthly pension payments, which had progressed, but with difficulties.
He said: “There have been various complaints from pensioners in the process, which includes omission of pensioners’ names from the payroll, non-payment of gratuity and death benefits.
“Others are harmonisation of six per cent and 15 per cent for some pensioners, short, payment and irregular payment of pension.
“The complaints also include the payment of long standing arrears for both federal and state pensioners with federal share and non-enrolment for monthly pension, among others.
“I wish to reassure all pensioners and indeed the entire nation that under my watch, we will run an open and transparent system.
“It is in the realisation of this objective, that I have constituted this committee to look into complaints and bring succour to senior citizens in the country.”
Aji said that the mandate of the committee was to address the various complaints of the Federal Civil Service Pensioners of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
He said that the committee would as well address the complaints by state pensioners with federal share.
He said that the committee was to submit its report within three months.
He solicited for the support and cooperation from all complainants to enable the committee meet its deadline.
He said that all complainants are expected to attach complaint documents, which would include letters/Gazettes of first appointments, letters/Gazettes of confirmation of appointment, and letters of retirement.
Other document, Aji said, include original copy of bank statements of account from the beginning of the problem and computation sheet for state pensioners with federal share.
He charged the members of the committee to justify the confidence reposed in them and display virtues of selflessness, honesty, hard work, commitment and patriotism in the national assignment
Aji said that the 25-member committee would be headed by the Director of Employee Relations and Welfare, Vesley Zaki, who would be the chairman.
He said that other members were drawn from Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, Office of Accountant-General of the Federation and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.
Zaki thanked the Federal Government for the opportunity given to members of the committee to serve.
He promised that the committee would adhere to the mandate given to it.
Zaki assured the government that the committee would be transparent, accountable and committed to national service.
NAN.