THE federal government has inaugurated 16 members into the Board of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) mandating them to proffer innovative and feasible solutions to the challenges of pension administration in Nigeria.
While inaugurating the 16-member-board in Abuja on Thursday, December 3, 2020, Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), warned board members against meddling in the day-to-day running of PenCom but rather ensure the implementation of sustainable pension policies.
Mr Mustapha, while congratulating the board members reminded them of the past challenges in pension administration despite the constitutional and statutory provisions guaranteeing pension payment. These challenges, he said, necessitated the pension reform of 2004, which created PenCom and introduced the mandatory Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for employees of both public and private sectors.
The SGF stated that there still exist a number of challenges in the pension sector which needed to be addressed in line with the objectives of PenCom which he said include the formulation and provision of general policy guidelines for the administration of the agency and the sector.
“As a government, we are always conscious of our responsibilities with regards to payment of pensions to eligible retirees in the federal public service. We are committed to discharging these responsibilities in spite of the perennial challenges, especially as caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic manifesting in dwindling revenue accruing to the nation,” he said.
The inaugurated Chairman of the board, Dr Oyindasola Oni, while responding on behalf of the board members, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for finding them worthy to be appointed as board members of PenCom. He pledged the board’s commitment to steer the affairs of PenCom without any blemish.
Hajia Aisha Dashir-Umar, the Director General of PenCom, who is also member of the board, gave assurances that the board would work as a team to discharge its responsibilities to achieve its mandate.
Other members of the board include: Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, Mr Clement Akintola, Mr Anyim Nyerere, Mr Charles Sylvester, Mr Festus Dauda, Mrs Anita Shitu, Dr Abel Afolayan, and Dr Timothy Olawale.
Others are Mr Edward Adamu, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, Mr Oscar Onyema, Mr Olorundare Sunday, and Dr Umaru Farouk Aminu, Executive Commissioner (Administration).
Although 24 hours after the inauguration, pictures and names of the inaugurated members were, as at the time of going to press, yet to be uploaded into PenCom’s website. Checks on the site indicate only the pictures/names of two board members displayed; those of the Director General, Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar, and the Commission’s Secretary/Legal Adviser, Muhammad Sani Muhammad.
