By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has released N7.61 billion to nine Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) for the payment of retirement benefits to 4,237 retired officers across the country.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the development on Tuesday during a dialogue with retired officers of the Service, where he disclosed that the funds had already been transferred to the various Pension Fund Administrators for onward payment into the beneficiaries’ individual accounts.
According to a statement signed by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the initiative is part of the Service’s commitment to ensuring that retired officers receive their benefits without unnecessary delay while strengthening confidence in the administration of pensions.
The statement explained that Access ARM Pension Managers received funds for 1,223 retirees, while Premium Pension accounted for the highest number of beneficiaries with 2,268 retirees. Leadway Pensions received payment for 403 beneficiaries, TrustFund Pensions for 156, FCMB Pensions for 144, Veritas Glanvills Pensions for 28, Norrenberger Pensions for 11 and Fidelity Pension Managers for four beneficiaries, bringing the total number of retirees covered under the payment to 4,237.
Addressing the retirees, Adeniyi said the Nigeria Customs Service would continue to place high priority on the welfare of officers after retirement, stressing that those who had devoted years of service to the country deserved dignity and timely payment of their entitlements.
He said the Service must remain financially stable to meet its obligations to both serving and retired personnel, adding that caring for retirees is an investment in the future of the institution because it gives confidence to officers still in active service.
The Comptroller-General noted that the welfare of retired officers cannot be separated from the long-term growth and stability of the Nigeria Customs Service, saying the management remains committed to improving their wellbeing.
He also said the meeting was convened to provide a platform for frank discussions with retirees and to address concerns directly instead of allowing rumours and unofficial information to shape perceptions.
“I acknowledged your concerns and suggestions raised, and it is in view of this we called for this dialogue to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the Service and its retired personnel,” Adeniyi said.
Also speaking at the meeting, members of the Customs Management Team, led by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Tijjani Abe, assured the retirees that issues raised during the engagement would be presented for consideration at the Board and Management levels of the Service.
The retirees commended the Comptroller-General and the management for listening to their concerns and creating an avenue for direct engagement. They urged the Service to make the dialogue a regular exercise, describing it as an important step towards strengthening the relationship between retired officers and the organisation they served.
The development comes at a time the Federal Government is reviewing statutory provisions relating to pension administration, including Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as part of broader efforts to improve the welfare of pensioners across the country.
