CHIOMA Ejikeme, the Executive Secretary, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), said the ‘I Am Alive’ online confirmation portal was created to ease pensioners’ stress.
Ejikeme said this at a training organised for Union Executives and Pension Desk Officers (PDOs) in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
Ejikeme said the training was a critical step toward preparing pensioners to be fully conversant with the use of the application.
She said that the purpose for the training was to ensure that the union executives and PDOs could use the ‘I AM ALIVE’ confirmation portal without any difficulties.
According to her, the union executives can assist pensioners to understand how to use the application, respond to basic enquirers and questions about the confirmation process.
“We believe that once union executives and PDOs can confidently use the application, they can support our efforts to educate our pensioners and provide guidance and hand holding where necessary for them to easily carry out their ‘I AM ALIVE’ confirmation.
“The training was also organised to explain why we deployed ‘I AM ALIVE’. What we expect as the impact, benefits to be derived and what we see as likely challenges.
“We will demonstrate the entire ‘I AM ALIVE’ confirmation process again and show a live demonstration. We will also address the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs),” Ejikeme said.
The executive secretary said the project was to make all the pensioners whom had served Nigeria enjoy their hard-earned pension without any hardship.
Ejikeme said that the tedious challenges, expensive field verification of the past would soon be a thing of the past with the portal.
“Pensioners must be able to confirm their aliveness from the comfort of their homes within the proximity of their residence.
“They should also be able to resolve their complaints without unnecessary stress. We want them to be able to contact PTAD with ease and be treated with respect and dignity,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the ‘I AM ALIVE’ online portal was inaugurated in October 2021. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
