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PTAD committed to prompt pension payment- CEO
Tolulope Odunaiya, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), has reiterated the agency’s commitment to prompt payment of pensioners as st when due, adding delay in payment barely occurs.
Odunaiya stated that pension payments are remitted through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directly into individual accounts of pensioners and said the Directorate has finalised August payment.
She stressed that it has no control over the payments but reassured that the payments are taken as a priority by the Federal Government.
She said various initiatives have been introduced, noting that they are aimed at managing pension benefits for Federal Government’s retirees under the old Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), who did not transit to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
She said: “The Directorate was established to handle pensions of those who did not move to the CPS, noting that PTAD ensures that eligible pensioners receive their pensions promptly and accurately.
“Since establishment of PTAD in 2013, and up till this moment, PTAD has never failed to pay pensions every month. That is why we have been able to take pensioners out of the streets. That is one of the credibility the government is enjoying because nobody is diverting money meant for payment of pensions anymore.
“The Directorate has continued to introduce various initiatives to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness, some of which are Field Verification, I Am Alive Confirmation, and Mobile Verification. As we progressed, we discovered that we shouldn’t be calling our fathers and mothers, especially those from a far distance to come and do verification in Lagos and a technology was introduced. We call that technology ‘I Am Alive’ Confirmation”.
She continued: “Once you are still alive, you are entitled to your pension. I Am Alive enables pensioners to confirm their status even in their home at every location. This is done through an internet-enabled phone and anybody can help you do it. Once you confirm your status, in the next six month, your pension will continue to run. “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 verification but later falls sick.’’
The PTAD ES further said PTAD is a Federal Government’s treasury funded agency with no commercial bank account, adding that their responsibility is to prepare schedules of pension payment.
“PTAD doesn’t have any account in any commercial bank; so, we don’t keep any money because we are a treasury-funded agency. Pensions are paid by the Central Bank and are paid directly into pensioners’ accounts. Our duty is to prepare the schedules of payment and it will pass through various tables, including Federal auditors, Internal auditors, Accountant-General Office. So, it is not something that somebody will just wake up and say PTAD has money somewhere,” she explained.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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