Yemisi Izuora
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) is concluding plans with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to enroll pensioners for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) by 2026.
The Executive Secretary/CEO (ES/CEO) PTAD, Mrs. Tolulope Odunaiya disclosed this in Lagos at the 2024/2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE).
The ES, who was represented at the occasion by the Head, Corporate Communication, Mr. Olugbenga Ajayi highlighted the rationale behind the plan.
He said the plan to enrol pensioners for the National Health Insurance Scheme underscores the Directorate’s commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of the pensioners.
According to him, “For us in PTAD, we are always working to ensure the wellbeing of our pensioners, ensuring they are comfortable, and are well taken care of.
“We have started negotiating health insurance for our pensioners because we know that the age they are is when they need healthcare more than even we that are working. Retirement is when people need government support more than the person who is collecting money every month.
“We are working to ensure that by 2026, if not all, at least 90 per cent of PTAD pensioners will be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
“PTAD has continued to introduce various initiatives to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness. We have introduced Mobile Verification for people who are sick, or those who are alive but are incapacitated to attend normal verification. We schedule mobile confirmation for those who have done ‘I Am Alive’ Confirmation but later falls sick. We go there – from Lagos office, Kaduna office, our teams are always outside to ensure pensioners are taken care of and their matters are treated with utmost urgency.
“PTAD is doing everything within its powers to ensure that pensioners receive all their entitlements – from arrears to pension increment, and we are working assiduously for this. By 2026, all arrears and other entitlements will be part of our budget, and there will be no issues anymore concerning these. PTAD is presently in 13 states of the federation.”