Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has commenced the verification of its pensioners with a view to ascertaining how many are dead or alive.
The Authority has also concluded plans to take the verification exercise to homes of disabled retirees so as to save them the stress of coming to venues of the exercise.
Speaking to newsmen, the President of the Nigerian Ports Authority Pensioners Welfare Association, Comrade Ali Umoru, said that the nationwide exercise will be concluded before the end of this year.
Umoru also said that about 9,800 retirees have been penciled down for the exercise.
He explained that phase one of the exercise has been concluded with about 70 percent of pensioners verified and eligible to continue to receive their monthly pension.
He stated: “At the end of the screening exercise, the number of our members that are dead or alive will be ascertained.
“Phase one has been completed, the second phase that where the port authority will go to the homes of disabled members will commence anytime from now.”
On how much the NPA spends to pay retirees’ pension, Umoru said that figure changes on a yearly basis adding that it is at the end of the screening exercise that what will be paid out as pensions to retirees can be ascertained.
Umoru also commended the current management of the NPA for treating the issue of pension payment with all seriousness.
