Pension verification for retired civil servants, who served in Federal agencies, corporations and institutions, has commenced smoothly in two centres within Enugu metropolis.

News Express Correspondent who visited the two centres located at the Independent Layout Area of Enugu on Thursday observed that pensioners throng the centres as early as 7 a.m.

The pensioners, however, were surprised to be hosted in air-conditional centres with enough seats and staff of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) on hand to carefully attend to their needs and requires.

The exercise is scheduled to last for 10 days (August 26 to September 4) while each of the two centres would verify a minimum of 400 pensioners per day.

Mr John Nnaji, a pensioner who retired from Project Development Institute (PRODA), Enugu, said that he was impressed with the courteous service of PTAD staff, especially how they had been patient with the pensioners so far.

“I feel at home, the young people working in PTAD had treated us as their fathers and mothers and I am quite impressed with it. This shows a clear departure from what was previously experienced in other verification I have attended,” Nnaji, who hails from Amagunnze in Nkanu East Local Government Area, said.

Another pensioner, Mr Ignatius Ihebih, who retired from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), lauded PTAD for the provision of a conducive environment for the exercise as well as edibles for the pensioners.

Ihebih noted that the process was smooth and fast, however “the number of pensioners today is very high but I believe that with days the number coming to the centres will definitely reduce and ease out.

“I can say that the process had been improved and the government had listened to our cry to make the process easy and better.”

A member of staff of PTAD, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the senior citizens would be provided with a lunch and water before they leave each day.

“We are providing more canopies and chairs to ensure those that cannot come into the hall due to high number can have a seat and be sheltered under the canopy against rain or harsh weather,” he said.

News Express reports that the nationwide exercise is designed to enable the agency (PTAD) to establish a comprehensive, accurate and reliable database for pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

The database would eliminate duplicate payments, weed out ghost Pensioners, regularise anomalies such as over and under payments, obtain accurate work records, and update Next of Kin (NoK) records.

The verification is also designed to capture retirees in 270 agencies including universities, tertiary education and health institutions, and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.

Other agencies include Nigeria Railway Corporation, Nigeria Postal Service, Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company, Nigerian National Shipping Line, and Assurance Bank, among others.

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