Yemisi Izuora
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate PTAD commenced the verification of pensioners of Delta Steel Company and Federal Housing Authority under Its defined benefits scheme in three centers across the country.
The exercise is taking place in Lagos, Delta and Abuja.
About 8,000 of them are are expected to be verified many after many years they left service and almost lost hopes of enjoying their pension benefits.
At its commencement in Abuja, one of those who came for verification was Mr Onofiok Ekong who retired as a General Manager of the steel company in 1995. He said he did not believe the exercise would hold, but was impressed with the arrangements made by PTAD which showed the Directorate is ready to attend to them. He is among the hundreds of excited pensioners who turned up for the four day exercise in Abuja center.
In Delta state the exercise will last for eight days and in Lagos five days is slated for the exercise.
The executive secretary of PTAD Sharon Ikeazor, who monitored the flag off said the process would involve documents review, biodata capturing and including them in the comprehensive database towards enrollment for monthly pension payments