The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has directed that pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) who were suspended from the pension payroll as a result of being unverified and living in the diaspora, must renew their “Aliveness Certificate” from the Nigerian High Commission where they reside. This is a means of ascertaining their aliveness since they cannot yet participate in the “I Am Alive” verification exercise for verified pensioners.
The Executive Secretary, Dr Chioma Ejikeme explains that on the completion of the nationwide pensioners verification exercise by PTAD, those who were not verified were dropped from the pension payroll with the exception of Diaspora and Sick pensioners.
She said the policy and procedure that will guide the validation of Diaspora pensioners has been put in place.
In this regard, pensioners living in the Diaspora, who were previously on the inherited payroll from August 2015, will be reinstated to the Diaspora payroll pending their physical verification. However, they must submit copies of the under listed documents to complaints@ptad.gov.ng:
1. Letter of First Appointment
2. Letter of Last Promotion
3. Letter of Acceptance of Retirement
4. Bank statement showing last pension received
5. BVN slip with photograph
6. Valid means of Identification
7. I Am Alive Certification from the Nigerian High Commission or Notarized letter confirming aliveness.
Dr. Ejikeme says all Diaspora pensioners are required to send an updated Aliveness Certificate after every 6 months of the last issue to the Directorate to make sure they continue to receive their monthly pension. Failure to do so will result in their suspension from the pension payroll.
