PTAD pays 9 months pension arrears to DBS pensioners

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate  (PTAD) has paid an additional nine months of consequential adjustment arrears occasioned by the new minimum wage increase of 2019 to the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners.

The PTAD’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Gbenga Ajayi  stated this in a statement issued on behalf of Dr Chioma Ejikeme, the Executive Secretary of PTAD, in Abuja on Tuesday, made available to Nigerian NewsDirect.

He said that the arrears of nine months were paid to Civil Service Pension Department Pensioners and six months of the same arrears to Parastatals, Police, Customs, Immigration and Prisons Department Pensioners.

“This brings the arrears paid so far to a total of 18 out of the 24 months arrears of the pension increment.”

Ajayi said that the Ejikeme made this statement in response to the commendations from pensioners on the payment of the arrears.

He said that in May the directorate implemented the consequential adjustment on pensions as a result of the minimum wage increment of 2019 and commenced payment of arrears to the pensioners of the operational departments as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The Civil Service Pensioners were paid nine months of the arrears while parastatals, police and customs, immigration and prisons pensioners were paid 12 months arrears in May.

“With this payment, each of the pensioners in the 4 operational departments would have a balance of six months  arrears left to be paid,” he said.

According to the Executive Secretary, the payment was to further support DBS pensioners especially during the festive period of this year’s Eid-el Kabir.

Ejikeme wished all Muslim pensioners a happy Eid-el-Kabir, and promised to continue to support and promote the welfare of the senior citizens in accordance with the mandate of the directorate.