In a crucial development, the Nigerian federal government has announced the inclusion of pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) as beneficiaries in the recently approved N25,000 conditional cash transfer program. This decision is part of the government’s comprehensive strategy to mitigate the impact of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens.
The revelation was made through an official statement issued by the Corporate Communications unit of the Pension Transitional Administration Directorate (PTAD), which aims to provide clarity on the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program for pensioners.
In early October, the federal government initiated the Conditional Cash Transfer program, with the objective of assisting 15 million economically vulnerable Nigerians. Under this program, each recipient is set to receive N25,000 for a duration of three months. This initiative is a vital component of the government’s efforts to alleviate economic challenges faced by its citizens.
PTAD emphasized that the decision to incorporate pensioners into the cash transfer initiative was the outcome of a meeting held in October between PTAD, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), pension union executives, and pension desk officers of PTAD’s pension department.
According to the statement:
“The Pension Transitional Administration Directorate (PTAD) and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), in a collaborative effort involving the Nigeria Pension Commission (PenCom), Pension Union Executives, and Pension desk officers of the parastatals pension department, clarified that pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) are part of the priority groups eligible for the recently approved N25,000 Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).”
Additionally, Mr. Sulayman, the Director of the Civil Service Pension Department (CSPD), confirmed that PTAD, in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has successfully gathered and verified the data of all DBS pensioners. This data has been promptly submitted to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
“PTAD, in collaboration with the NUP, ensured that the data of all DBS pensioners who have undergone verification and are on the payroll has been promptly forwarded to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation through the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).”
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is now responsible for facilitating the transfer of funds to the pensioners.
