June 20, (THEWILL) – The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) says it has resolved no fewer than 5,000 cases in three years relating to pension, administrative injustice and others in Borno State.
The Federal Commissioner, PCC, Borno State, Yusuf Adamu, disclosed this on Wednesday at a town hall meeting organised by the Commission with the theme, “Systemic and Proactive Investigation into Compliance of Private Employers to Pension Reform” held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
He said the town hall meeting became necessary as a result of complaints received by the Commission from private sector workers in the state.
“In the last three years, we have treated 5,000 cases in Borno State. We have settled cases of administrative excesses, especially some people treated badly in their organisations. Our mandate is to settle cases amicably and ensure justice is served. This is what we have been doing.
“It is an important foray to discuss issues around pensions because most of the problems we have are that when someone spends 35 years in service after he retires, he would find it difficult to access his pension. So, we want to collaborate with pension managers to address these lingering issues.
“So, we have to work in synergy so that people will understand the importance of pension reforms in Nigeria and people would have access to their pensions within the shortest possible time,” he said.
He noted that PCC is an institution saddled with the responsibility of settling issues amicably and coming to terms without making any noise about it.
The State Director of Investigation, PCC, Salisu Mohammad, urged employers to be their brothers’ keepers, saying, “It is expected that you do the needful with peace of mind. Like the issue of pensions now things have been made difficult for pensioners. Since the world is a circle tomorrow you may be pensioners too.”
The Trust Funds, Borno State Branch Manager, Abubakar Jubrin, thanked the PCC for organising the seminar, describing it as timely and necessary considering the current economic situation in the country.
He said the Nigerian Constitution has made the contributory pension scheme compulsory for all strata of workers, with specific reference to firms with two or more staff.
He added that Section 4 of the Pension Reform Act 2014, provides for a mandatory minimum contribution of ten and eight percent of the employee’s monthly emolument by the employer and employee respectively.
About the Author
I am Ladi Dapson, a general writer with thewill. I cover Borno and Yobe states respectively.
I based Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.
I can be reached via [email protected].
Very high and kind regards!
