Payments: PTAD warns pensioners against patronizing fraudsters

The Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) Dr. Chioma Ejikeme, has cautioned pensioners in the country against patronising pension fraudsters.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ engagement forum for pensioners from six states of North Central, which includes Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, and Plateau State, in Jos on Friday, she said no staff of PTAD will call or send any message to them requesting to take some unlikely given action.

According to her, no pensioner would be asked to call a certain phone number before their arrears or gratuity will be paid, while assuring of PTAD’s determination and commitment to change the narrative with the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS).

Ejikeme also regretted that the DBS was in the past fraught with allegations of fraud, corruption, and inefficiencies before the establishment of the directorate.

In her presentation at the event, the Director Pensions Support Service Department, Nneka Obiomalu, said PTAD periodically organizes this kind of forum to keep stakeholders updated on their activities as it is important to carry them along and get their feedback.

She noted the lack of information on pensioners, duplicate names/account numbers on inherited payroll, over 30,000 pensioners not on the payroll, 50,000 complaints inherited, and poor pension files management leading to damage of records, among others.