Following anxiety from some retired veterans about the delay in payment of the new pension allowances, the Military Pensions Board has disclosed that the delay in the payment of the new pension rates to military pensioners is due to the non-release of funds to the board pointing out that it has nothing to do with the ongoing electronic verification exercise.

A statement on Monday, signed by the Chairman and addressed to veterans, appealed to all pensioners to jettison the insinuation making the rounds linking the outcome of the ongoing electronic verification exercise to the payment of the new pension rates approved by the Federal Government.

Recall that a three-month nationwide electronic verification of all military pensioners which commenced on 1stJuly 2024 is ongoing and was extended by one month to end on Thursday, 31stOctober 2024.

AVM Irumheson while appealing for patience, appreciated the cooperation and understanding of pensioners as the board carries out its statutory functions.

Giving some clarifications on the ongoing electronic verification exercise, he explained that the verification is a routine exercise aimed at authenticating the accurate strength of pensioners on the pension payroll to enable adequate budgeting and planning.

He said, ?The Board decided to move from physical to electronic verification to make life easier for its pensioners, particularly due to the security risks associated with travelling by road, the high cost of transportation, and the financial burden of travelling down to Nigeria for pensioners residing abroad, among others.

?With the advent of the electronic verification system, pensioners can now carry out their verification from the comfort of our homes without the need to gather for any physical verification and the exercise has so far been successful.?

AVM Irumheson further allayed the fears of veterans that no single pensioner will be short-changed of their entitlements, including arrears as the Board is working closely with relevant authorities to get funds released for payment.

He added, ?In its transparent manner, is constantly briefing the 5-man Ministerial Standing Committee on every step taken so far and advised the veterans to regularly check with the committee for updates as the committee remains the bridge between the Veterans Community and the Board.

Furthermore, he called for a little more patience, noting that the board is making extra efforts to ensure that all outstanding entitlements are paid as soon as possible and that the welfare of veterans remains their utmost priority. (Vanguard)