Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has given a six-month grace period for all pensioners under the defined old pension scheme to complete their aliveness through a technology-based platform codenamed “I Am Alive” confirmation solution.
The “I Am Alive” confirmation solution is an online application designed to enable pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme for pensioners to easily confirm their aliveness from the comfort of their homes or neighborhood, using either a smartphone or a computer system.
The pensioners are simply expected to visit PTAD website: www.ptad.gov.ng, to conduct the verification exercise on “I Am Alive” solution.
Those who fail to confirm their aliveness within the grace period will be removed from the payroll automatically.
Executive secretary of PTAD Dr Chioma Ejikeme gave the directive today at the full roll-out of “I Am Alive” confirmation solution in Abuja.
Dr Ejikeme also told pensioners at the event that PTAD is working on a programme that will ensure the pensioners are registered for health insurance, an initiative the pensioners applauded as laudable.
“We want to tie the I Am Alive to health insurance. It’s going to be your ticket to health insurance. It is going to be your ticket to continue to receive pension,” she said.
She said any eligible pensioner who fails to come out for verification during the allowed period would be considered as fraud.
Ejikeme emphasised the need for diaspora pensioners to particularly take advantage of the new platform to solve the problem of non-payment of their pensions because they have not been able to participate in the previous manual verification process.
“You have to know where they are, who you are, you have to plan to verify them,” she said.
According to her, PTAD’s communication channels are also open to receive comments, observations and render assistance where necessary, and we enjoin our pensioners to reach out to us.
The executive secretary addressed their concerns and assured of her commitment to ensure all outstanding issues, especially the unstructured salary/pension harmonisation issue is formally done in collaboration with the Salaries and Wages Commission.
The ES said the agency will embark on a massive awareness campaign on the “I Am Alive” confirmation solution, to sensitise the pensioners and the general public on the commencement schedule.
The PTAD head said the “I Am Alive” confirmation solution is free as “PTAD does not charge any fee for this confirmation. No PTAD staff will ask you for payment to process your pension or arrears, anyone who demands for payment from you is a fraudster and should be reported immediately.”
