A human rights group, The Democratic and Human Rights Centre (TDHRC), has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene by directing the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to immediately pay the outstanding pension arrears of former employees of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), now known as the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which have been pending since 2017.
The group, in a press release signed by Comrade Aderemi Adebisi, stated that PTAD’s refusal to pay former employees of NEPA/PHCN accumulated pension arrears since 2017 has not only caused hardship to them but has also led to the deaths of many members.
“These people have served this country meritoriously and do not deserve to be treated as second-class citizens. The refusal of PTAD to pay their pension arrears since 2017—over two decades now—has brought untold hardship to many of them. They have lost many of their members to illnesses that could have been managed if they had money for treatment. Many of their members are still battling diseases that require urgent attention. Some of their families are in disarray because they couldn’t meet up with financial obligations,” the statement read.
TDHRC pleaded, “We humbly request your compassionate intervention by directing the current Executive Secretary of PTAD, Ms. Tolulope Abiodun Idunaiya, to urgently commence payment of all accrued arrears from 2017 to these pensioners.
“These arrears have been withheld since 2017 by previous PTAD managements.”
The group added that the Appropriation Acts from 2017 to 2020 (National Budget Office, Abuja) and disbursement profiles from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation contain details of funds released for the cumulative arrears.
“This was also confirmed in a viral video clip featuring former PTAD Executive Secretary Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, where she stated the pensioners’ eligibility for a 33% pension rate increase that was denied based on false claims of ineligibility.”
The group urged President Tinubu to order PTAD to begin payment of all cumulative arrears immediately.
“We also appeal to our President to instruct PTAD management to access funds reportedly domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria by previous Executive Secretaries—Mrs. Chioma Mnena Ejineme and Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor—to pay all or part of the arrears as necessary to these pensioners.”