Hazeez Balogun
Lagos - Nigeria
It is usually sad to see people who had
worked very hard throughout their lives and yet end up living the latter part in
abject poverty. There are many cases where retirees are not able to take care
of their basic needs like proper health care, accommodation, adequate clothing
and sometimes even good food. There however seems to be a brighter future for
workers of today as there are pension schemes backed by the government that
ensures that retirees get adequate monthly payments.
Despite all the new regulations and modernisation
of the schemes, workers who are still contribution to their pension funds still
have questions and doubts about the whole scheme.
Peter Johnson a 48 years old plastic product
worker in Lagos has had his contribution remitted to his pension managers for
over six years. He plans to receive his entire pension after he retires in
order to set up a plastic company of his own. He was however shocked to learn
that he will not be given a lump sum after he retires but a monthly allowance.
“While venting his frustrations he said. Why
should some people dictate to me the way I will be getting my money? After I
retire, I would have gathered enough experience to start my own business. I
should not be getting salary by that time, I should be owning my own business.”
Johnson is not the only one who thinks
the policy is wrong, but National Pension Commission (PenCom) says there is a
perfectly good reason for the policy.
The Director General of the Commission, Mrs
Chinelo Anohu-Amazu of PenCom while in a press conference in Lagos last week, explained
why retirees are not paid lump sums. “I have been asked that question many
times and I try to explain why we arrived at this decision. We have many people
who want to receive all their money at the same time to set up businesses. What
kind of business will someone try to set up at age 65 or 70? You find out that
those that try it end up failing and in the end use up all their funds. The aim
of the pension scheme is to take care of basic needs of retirees. They will be
getting a certain percentage of what they were earning while they were working.
This will allow them to take care of basic needs. Paying lump sums is not a
good idea.”
Anohu-Amazu also addressed the issue of
non-remittance. She promises to prosecute companies and establishment who
deduct salaries of their employees without remitting same to the designated
pension managers. Anohu-Amazu frowned at the practice and described it as a
crime. She said, “Right in PenCom, we have a whole department devoted to
enforcement and compliance. We have also engaged recovery agents because the
compliance is on many levels. Some people have made deductions from their
salaries and have not been remitted into their Retirement Savings Account
(RSA). We are calling out to those people and we are going to work with the
appropriate law enforcement agencies because it is a financial crime to take
money out of an employee’s salary and do not then remit it to his Retirement
Savings Account. It is something we take seriously.”
Government establishments like PenCom are known for only mere talks and no actions. A whole department is set up to handle complaints but they do nothing. They all receive salaries for doing nothing. PenCom is set up solely to look after the interests of retirees and employees but it seems they are better at serving the interests of the PFAs and PFCs. PenCom is best at putting on shows only for the news media. They do nothing. PenCom is a complete disappointment. All regulations and guidelines but no results. The most unfortunate are the retirees who have little clues about making representations about their issues before the PenCom but who contacted PenCom anyway and are just simply ignored. Most retirees are being cheated by their PFAs and PenCom need to do something about this.
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