The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has announced a six months ultimatum for all pensioners under the defined benefit pension scheme to complete their aliveness through a technology based platform codenamed “I Am Alive” confirmation solution.
Executive secretary of PTAD, Dr Chioma Ejikeme made the remark at the full roll-out of the “I Am Alive” confirmation solution yesterday in Abuja.
Dr Ejikeme also disclosed that PTAD is working on a programme that will ensure the pensioners are registered for health insurance, an initiative the pensioners applauded as laudable. “We want to tie the I Am Alive to health insurance. It’s going to be your ticket to health insurance. It is going to be your ticket to continue to receive pension,” she said.
The “I Am Alive” confirmation solution is an online application designed to enable pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme for pensioners to easily confirm their aliveness from the comfort of their homes or neighbourhood, using either a smartphone or a computer system.
Those who fail to confirm their aliveness within the grace period will be removed from the payroll automatically.
Ejikeme said any eligible pensioner who fails to come out for verification during the allowed period would be considered as fraud.
The ES emphasised the need for diaspora pensioners to particularly take advantage of the new platform to solve the problem of non-payment of their pensions because they have not been able to participate in the previous manual verification process. “You have to know where they are, who you are, you have to plan to verify them,” she said.
PTAD has trained pension desk officers from the ministries, departments and agencies that have pensioners under the old scheme on the use of the new application to assist pensioners who are unable to carry out the confirmation on their own.
She said the agency’s communication channels are also open to receive comments, observations and render assistance where necessary, and we enjoin our pensioners to reach out to us.
The pensioners took advantage of the time to marshal out their challenges with the process, including the existential issues of difficulty in verification of next of kin of deceased pensioners.
The executive secretary addressed their concerns and assured of her commitment to ensure all outstanding issues, especially the unstructured salary/pension harmonisation issue is formally done in collaboration with the Salaries and Wages Commission.
National secretary of NITEL/MTEL pensioners association, Emmanuel Adu said his association has set up computer centres in all the 36 states of the federation for its members to conduct the online verification exercise.
The pension boss said the agency will embark on a massive awareness campaign on the “I Am Alive” Confirmation solution, to sensitise the pensioners and the general public on the commencement schedule.
She told the pensioners that the “I Am Alive” confirmation solution is free, “PTAD does not charge any fee for this confirmation. No PTAD staff will ask you for payment to process your pension or arrears, anyone who demands for payment from you is a fraudster and should be reported immediately.”
The pensioners are simply expected to visit PTAD website: www.ptad.gov.ng, to conduct the verification exercise on “I Am Alive” solution.
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