Dr Chioma Ejikeme, Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), said that the directorate’s data were fully protected and backed up against any loss.
Ejikeme said this during the second day sensitisation and collaboration forum with anti-graft agencies and other relevant stakeholders in Abuja on Tuesday.
She said that the directorate had so many back up plans, making them fully aware of all their pensioners who had been verified.
The representative of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr Mohammed Abdullah, said that the commission collaborated with PTAD in different aspects and cases.
He said that the commission was currently prosecuting several defendants in multiple jurisdiction cases reported by PTAD.
The Director of Special Services, the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission, Mrs Agha-Ibe Orieoma, urged PTAD to mount more public awareness and continue collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
Orieoma said there should be strict penalties and sanctions to ensure that employers, pension administrators and other offenders did not divert pension funds.
The secretary to the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Mr Philip Enyali said at times, the scammers collaborated with internal persons and advised PTAD to always audit the payroll.
“This could help curb fraud. PTAD also needs to sensitise and communicate with pensioners at all time.”
Enyali said that the verification and the “ I AM ALIVE” online verification would help to Know if the pensioners are alive or they were paying ghost.
He commended the directorate for the level of success achieved so far.
The President, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Chief Godwin Abumisi, urged PTAD to be committed to its ongoing sensitisation programmes and educating the pensioners on the “ I AM ALIVE” online verification.
Abumisi said that the sensitisation was key for pensioners entitlement not to fall into the hands of fraudsters.
“ A good number of our members are aged with little or no background of computer and it make them vulnerable to fraudsters,” he said.
Abumisi commended the directorate and President Muhammadu Buhari for constantly paying them.
(NAN)
