By Oluwaseun Sonde
Body of Pensioners of the Southwest has debunked Mr Abiodun Samuel's claim that the Pensions Transitional Arrangements Directorate (PTAD) has gone comatose in discharging its duties, adding that the allegation not only untrue but clearly malicious.
In a statement signed by Chairman, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo Pensioner Union, and Chairman, South West Pensioners, Dr Stephen Akinnifesi Fatusin recently, while the Pensioners were alarmed to hear the outright character assassination by one of them who are senior citizens of Nigeria.
Recalled that Abiodun Samuel who for reasons best known to him went to the Press, (precisely, Channels Television) to gravely allege that the PTAD had gone comatose in the discharge of its duties.
"While our brother, Samuel Abiodun might have one misgiving or the other about the operations of PTAD, we, the body of Pensioners of the South West make no pretenses about the fact that his claim is rather, not only untrue but clearly malicious.
"Of course, it would be an exaggeration to say that there have never been glitches in the payment of pensions, it is clear that such do not translate into total inaction", Southwest Pensioners said.
They put the records straight, noted that PTAD has performed far above average in the discharge of its duties towards Pensioners in general. "When problems arise with payment of one or two pensioners, PTAD, especially under the supervisor of the current Executive Secretary, has so far been very quick to respond to ours complaints which are normally resolved within a question of days.
The Pensioners got badly worried by the claim of their colleague for fear that it is capable of dampening the spirit of the Pensions Management Body (PTAD). "If you have been very active and responsive in handling pensioners’ issues but you get apathy instead of commendation the consequence is obvious.
"To be factual, pensioners have never been as fortunate as we have been under the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. We remain eternally grateful to him for his empathy.
"It is on record that he had directed that pensions be paid on or before the 25th of every month at the inception of his administration! Nothing can be better than this, although this has hardly been realizable due to some logistic reasons largely associated with the Accountant General’s Office/ the Central Bank".
They further said, "To realize the dream of our dear president in this regard, I want to appeal to the Accountant General’s Office and the CBN to kindly give monthly pensions first line charge so that PTAD’s effort can be seen and felt in carrying out Mr. President’s wonderful directive in respect of a prompt payment of pensions.
The Southwest Pensioners appealed to fellow senior citizens to kindly intimate the Executive Secretary as well as the relevant directors with their complaints before going to the press.
"We of the South West are sure that this approach works as the Executive Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Chioma Ejikeme would be on the neck of her directors until issues are resolved.
"This has happened before as the no-nonsense Executive Secretary would fix issues with dispatch. Let us give praises to whom it is due, please", they added.
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