President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the constitution of
an inter-ministerial committee to reconcile outstanding pension liabilities of
civil servants and proffer solutions to the lingering problems.
The development was confirmed on Friday by a statement
issued by the Media Adviser to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr
Akpandem James.
The statement said the Minister of Finance,Mrs Kemi
Adeosun, is the chairman of the committee.
Other members of the committee include a representative of
the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, representative of the Head
of Service of the Federation, the Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed
Idris, and the Director General of the Budget Office Ben Akabueze.
Others are Director-General of the National Pension
Commission, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu and the Director General,Pension Transition
Arrangement Department,Mrs Sharon Ikeazor who will also act as Secretary.
The committee according to the statement is saddled with the
responsibility to review and reconcile all pension liabilities of the Federal
Government, make recommendations as to what portion of the liabilities can be
funded through budgetary appropriations.
It will also suggest creative ways of funding the
balance and it’s to conclude it’s assignment within four week after which a
report would be sent to the President.
The Federal Government had on Wednesday night said it
has paid the inherited arrears of accrued pension benefit for the year 2014,
2015 and 2016 by releasing N41.5bn to the National Pension Commission for
onward payment to the retirees.
Adeosun, confirmed the release according to a statement from
the ministry,signed by the Director of
Information in the Ministry, Salisu
Dambatta.
She said in the statement that the sum of N12.5bn being
outstanding for January, February and March 2017 has also been settled based on
2016 appropriation, bringing the total amount to about N54bn
She said the government was concerned about the plight of
pensioners who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme without being
paid.
By Ifeanyi Onuba
