Following the failure of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to pay the N25 billion arrears owed to pensioners of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), now Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), a human rights group, The Democratic and Human Rights Centre (TDHRC), has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the agency over the delay in payment.
In a press release, TDHRC emphasized the need for EFCC and ICPC to probe PTAD for its inability to settle the N25 billion arrears owed to NEPA/PHCN pensioners.
“We were informed by these pensioners that Samuel Agbogun, the former Executive Director of the Nigerian Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO), stated in 2014 that NELMCO had transferred N25 billion in pension arrears for retirees of NEPA/PHCN to PTAD during its official handover. Unfortunately, despite this transfer, many retirees remain unpaid,” TDHRC stated.
The group expressed concern over the hardship caused by PTAD’s failure to disburse the funds, highlighting that many senior citizens rely on these pensions for survival.
According to TDHRC investigations, the N25 billion arrears include Harmonisation Arrears, Monetisation Arrears, Year 2000 Retirees Benefits, and Electricity Rebate Arrears.
TDHRC noted that these arrears have been pending for over a decade since the privatization of the electricity sector.
The group also pointed out that successive Executive Secretaries of PTAD—Sharon Ikeazor, Chioma Ejikeme, and Tolulope Odunaiya—have failed to resolve this issue despite assurances.
“PTAD had ‘repeatedly failed in its promises to pay old pensioners of NEPA/PHCN leading to the death of more than 3000 out of 15000 pensioners who could not afford to take care of their fragile health conditions.”