25112020 - Selfish Northerners opposing restructuring, says el-Rufai

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020
vicahiyoung@yahoo.com
PFA Transfer: Operators risk
imprisonment for "fake news",
Ex-PenCom board member warns
Stories by Victor
Ahiuma- Young
FOLLOWING
the
launch of Retired Saving
Account, RSA Transfer
System, by the National Pension
Commission, PenCom,
a former Board member of
the commission and Executive
Director, Centre For
Pension Rights Advocacy,
CFPRA, Ivor Takor, has
warned operators, especially
the Pension Fund Administrators,
PFAs, and Pension
Fund Custodians, PFCs,
against deception and misinformation
of RSA holders
to avoid severe consequences.
Takor who represented
Labour on the board of Pen-
Com, in a statement, warned
that any operator found
guilty of deceit or misinformation
to gain undue advantage
against another
operator risked prison term
among other punishment.
Speaking on the transfer
window, he said "In 2004,
when employees commenced
opening of RSAs
with PFAs in compliance
with Section 11(1) of PRA
2014, none of the PFAs had
a pedigree in the management
of pension fund, which
employees could rely upon
in deciding which one of
them was good enough to
open an RSA account with.
They were all for the first
time, commencing the
management of pension
funds after being licensed by
PenCom.
"Employees therefore relied
on the marketing strategies
of the PFAs. Several
years down the line, from
2004 to date, the one jacket
fits all reliance, has been torn
open. As it is said in day to
day discussions, the men are
being separated from the
boys, if they have not already
been separated."
According to Takor, from
November 16, 2020, "RSAs
holders will have a
choice.PFAs will no longer
take their clients, RSA holders
for granted. As pointed
in PenCom's Press Release
ahead of the opening of the
transfer system, the activation
of the RSA transfer process
will engender competition
and improve service delivery
in the pension industry.
There are added services
PFAs could have rendered to
their clients, which they did
not. They now have no
choice than to look in those
areas, if they have to retain
and attract RSAs holders.
"While congratulating
PenCom for the opening of
the long awaited transfer
window, we will want to remind
PenCom of its responsibility
of ensuring that RSA
holders are not misinformed
by PFAs in their attempt to
undo one another as a result
of the opening of the transfer
window.
"Section 83(3) of PRA 2014
provides that 'The Commission
shall ensure that all information
in brochures, advertisements,
promotional
materials and claims of Pension
Fund Administrators
are truthful in every way
without omission of any fact
which may make the information
contained therein
misleading, false or decep-
Lagos promises to clear pension
arrears by 2022
... Plans free transportation for state retiree
THE Lagos State Gov
ernment has promised
to clear arrears of all pension
payments by the end of
year 2022.
Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle, Lagos
State Commissioner for Establishment,
Training and
Pension, made the pledge
while delivering a keynote
address at the virtual Lagos
State Pension Commission,
LASPEC, pre-retirement
seminar, in Lagos.
The seminar was organised
for civil servants retiring
between January and
June 2021 in the state.
Though the total arrears
was not disclosed, she said
"Unfortunately we have a
backlog of accrued pension
rights and we acknowledge
that. But by the end of 2022
which is about two years
from now, we are hoping
that the backlog would be
cleared. We are working tirelessly
to ensure that we fund
all the accounts that need to
be funded, so that as soon as
retirees reach the retirement
age and retire, they get their
pension."
According to her, Lagos
State Government was
working assiduously to ensure
that retirees could enjoy
additional welfare benefits.
Ponnle said these would
include free transportation
for pensioners on the state
transportation network, implementation
of which was
delayed due to the COVID-
19 pandemic. The commissioner
noted that the Governor
Babajide Sanwoolu-led
administration appreciated
the role that public servants
play in governance, saying
"the governor has demonstrated
this by the various initiatives
and policies approved
in the last one year
towards enhancing the welfare
of pensioners.
"Even though the present
economic condition is not
friendly, the governor ensures
payment and even increment
of pension. We appreciate
the valuable experience
and insights of our
retirees and pray that they
retire healthy and happily."
She, however, advised the
prospective retirees to be
wary of joining side associations
who deceiving pensioners
of assisting them to
collect their pension.
The commissioner admonished
members of the
society to always show compassion
to retirees, saying
they were the older citizens
and have a lot more to offer,
tive.' PenCom should look
out for unethical practices
among PFAs.
"For the avoidance of
doubt, Section 104(C) provides
that 'A Pension Fund
Administrator, Pension
Fund Custodian, any person
or body who supplies information
which he knows to
be false or supplies the information
recklessly as to its
truth or falsity, commits and
offence under this Act and
shall on conviction be liable
to a fine not less than
N200,000.00 or to imprisonment
for a term of not less
than three years or to both
such fine and imprisonment
for every false or misleading
information given and
where the offence continues
to a fine not less than
N100,000.00 for every day
the offence continues.'
The Director CFPRA, added
that the "long awaited
transfer window has been
opened with effect from
Monday 16 November,
2020. This policy gives an
RSA holder the opportunity
to annually review the performance
of his/her PFA and
a choice as to retain or
change the PFA. The policy
will engender competition
and improve service delivery
in the pension industry.
The law places a duty on
PenCom as the regulator to
monitor and ensure that in
an attempt of PFAs to retain
and attract RSAs holders,
they do not give RSAs holders
false and misleading information
and where they
do, the law also provides
appropriate sanctions."
and congratulated the prospective
retirees and acknowledged
the effort of the
management and staff of
LASPEC for putting up the
webinar.
Director-General,
LASPEC, Mr. Babalola Obilana,
said the essence of the
programme was to educate
the prospective retirees on
the necessary documentation
required to access their
accrued rights and pension.
Obilana noted that having
worked in active service for
the state government, it was
imperative that transmission
into retirement should
be without stress
According to him, the
seminar also provided valuable
information on how
retirees should plan their finances
and lives after retirement,
adding "It will also
provide you health tips on
how to enjoy your future after
retirement."
Assistant Chief Administration
officer, LASPEC, Mr
Afees Oyeboin, in a lecture
titled: "Retirement Benefit
Documentation under the
Contributory Pension
Scheme" charged the retirees
to update their documents.
Oyebo said this
would ensure that the benefits
and accrued rights due
to the retirees during their
service years were accurately
computed and credited
into their Retirement Savings
Account (RSA).
Madam
Josephine Obot
is dead
MADAM
JOSE
PHINE Effiong
Usua Obot is dead, aged
71.
A statement from the
family said the late Madam
Obot, who died recently,
would be buried in
her Nsukara Offot village
home in Uyo Local Government
Area of Akwa
Ibom State, on Saturday.
The statement said the
deceased is survived by
four children.
• Late Obot
:Vanguard News
Obsequies for
Pa Uzoukwu
Pa Uzoukwu Anawanti
Ihedigbo of Uhabiri, Ossah
Ibeku, in Umuahia North
LGA of Abia State, has died,
aged 67.
A service of songs will hold
at his residence on Thursday,
December 3, 2020, while requiem
mass will hold at the
Watchman Catholic Renewal
Movement, Uhabiri, Ossah
Ibeku. Interment follows immediately
at his residence.
He is survived by his widow,
Mrs. Ihie Victoria Uzoukwu,
his daughter, Mrs. Chioma
Umeha, Health Editor,
Daily Independent, other children
and many grandchildren.
• Late Uzoukwu
:@vanguardnews
War'll not give Igbo presidency
—Uzodinma
OWERRI—IMO State
Governor, Senator Hope
Uzodinma, has canvassed the
use of tact, diplomacy and negotiation
as potent weapons for
the realisation of a president of
Igbo extraction in 2023, warning
that beating drums of war
will not do the job.
He said Ndigbo must do
away with confrontation, threat
of war against the rest of the
country for them to be taken
seriously in their quest to produce
the next president.
Senator Uzodinma spoke in
Owerri on Monday when imo
Leaders presented Prof George
Obiozor to him as their consensus
candidate for the post of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo national
president.
He said the rest of the country
were being scared by the cacophony
of agitations by Ndigbo.
According to him, while others
are beating the war for the
state of Biafra, others want Igbo
presidency while others are demanding.
Uzodinma recalled that in
thd first and second Republics
when negotiation and tact was
the weapon of Igbos they had
access to political power and
its consequential influence.
He argued that although Dr
Nnamdi Azikiwe was a ceremonial
President his position still
gave Igbos access to leadership
in the military, bureaucracy and
even commerce. According to
him, a similar situation played
out in the second Republic, although
at a less significance,
when Igbos sat in the Presidency
as number two citizen.
The governor advised Igbos
to think back and find out at
what point they missed the track
on the alliance patterns that
gave them relevance in the political
arena.
He counselled Ndigbo to restrategise
by abandoning threats
and confrontation and embrace
dialogue, negotiation and
diplomacy to convince the rest
of the country to cede the presidency
to them in 2023.
Senator Uzodinma however
expressed happiness that a
man of integrity and intellect
in the person of Prof Obiozor
was being supported through
consensus to lead ohanaeze
Ndigbo.
The governor noted the
choice of the erudite diplomat
was a signal that the socio cultural
organisation was reinvigorating
itself for the challenges
ahead.
I am happy with the choice
of prof George Obiozor because
he knows the history of
the first and second Republics
and he is living with the present
challenges of Ndigbo. So he will
draw from history and combine
it with the future and move
Ndigbo forward.
He insisted that Igbo no longer
need a combative leadership
but one versed in the delicate
art of diplomacy like Prof Obiozor.
Seplat pledges more CSR for host
communities
By Ozioruva Aliu
BENIN
CITY—THE
management of Seplat
Petroleum Development
Company has promised to
carry out more Corporate
Social Responsibilities, CSR,
for its host communities in
Edo and Delta states.
Chairman of the Company,
Dr Ambrose Orjiako, made
this promise when he led
members of the management
team of the company on a visit
to Oben, Orhionmwon Local
Government Area of Edo
State and Okpe Kingdom in
Delta State.
In Oben, he enumerated
the numerous benefits of the
Oben Gas Plant to the
immediate communities, the
State and the country. He also
harped on the different
activities and programmes of
the Company in Edo State
which he said include the
provision of medical
equipment/items to the State
Government to support
containment of COVID-19
pandemic and also provision
of palliatives to Communities
to cushion the effects of the
lockdown arising from the
COVID-19 pandemic; "As a
responsible corporate
organization, we are
committed to contributing to
the development of Edo State,
economically and otherwise.
Since the commencement of
operations in the State, the
Company has undertaken
important health, education
and numerous community
development projects to
support sustainable
development in the State.”
Defence College seeks FG's
funding for FUPRE
By Etop Ekanem
ATOR, BUJA—COORDINA
Team 3 of Course
29, National Defence College,
Abuja, Air Commodore
Adebayo Kehinde, has appealed
to the Federal Government
for adequate funding of
the Federal University of Petroleum
Resources to enable the
Institution achieve its desired
purpose.
Kehinde made this appeal
when his team visited Federal
University of Petroleum Resources,
Effurun in Delta State
on a study tour and research on
Technical Education.
He commended the institution's
Vice Chancellor, Prof Akpofure
Rim-Rukeh and his management
staff for their efforts in
innovative research, especially
in the oil and gas industry and
stated that FUPRE, as a strategic
Institution for the petroleum
industry needs proper funding
to enable it achieve the desire
purpose of its establishment.
Ambassador
Victoria for
burial Dec 4
AMBASSADOR VIC
TORIA Chinenyenwa
Ahuakagha is dead, aged
77 years. She will be buried
on December 4, 2020,
at her hometown, Orogwe,
Owerri West LGA of
Imo State. She is survived
by her widower, Sir. Goddy
O. Ahuakagha, MD/
CEO, Premier Insurance
Brokers, Enugu, children,
sisters, brothers, mother
in-law and a grandchild.
• Late Victoria