PENSION COMMISSION: AS NIGERIAN PENSIONIER’S ALBATROSS

On the 25^th Day of June, 2004, the Nigerian Pension Reform Act 2004 was signed into law, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The objective of the law, is to among other things, ensure that every person who worked in either the Public Service of the Federation, the Federal Capital Territory or Private Sector receives his or her retirement benefits as and when due.

Sub-section (h), of section 2 of the Pension Reform Law specifically stated that the scheme is to “assist improvident individuals by ensuring that they save in order to cater for their livelihood during old age”. “Improvident individuals” in my own interpretation, are people who refuse to plunder state resources kept under their supervision or use their offices to aggrandise wealth. Exactly eight years after this scheme came into effect; there is hardly any evident to show that the scheme is leading Nigeria towards the right direction. The numerous scandals that have trailed the pension scheme, in recent times, is an attestation to the fact, that a lot still need to be desired, with regard to the effective management of the country’s pension scheme.

The first evident, that indicates that all is not well with the Nigerian Pension Law, is noticed, in the embarrassing and avoidable errors, that litter the entire Pension Reform Law 2004. For example, in the second schedule supplementary provisions relating to the commission, which is just three pages of the law, there are seventeen mistakes. The name of the former President, Olusegen is misspelt as (Owesun) Obasanjo, one therefore wonder how Ibrahim Salim, the former Clerk to the National Assembly who was a co-signatory to this law, could sign and forward such a document to the former president for his assent, without first noticing these mistakes. Sadly, for Nigeria, this is the document presently on the internet. However, this is a matter for another time.   

As a pensioner who falls under the present scheme, it being  exactly two years and eight months after I voluntary retirement from the public service of the Federation, I am yet to be paid whatever is due me as a pension. My personal experience to date, has been most discomforting. Hence, my resolve now to go public on this matter. In my neighbourhood in Baragia a suburb of  Lagos, I have watched with heavy heart and helplessness as people who retired from both the state and Federal Service die daily; in a miserably circumstances due to minor and preventable illnesses without earn their pension.  Most of the pensioners remaining are living under extreme hardship. As they daily look forward to relatives and friends for handout. Some have been ejected from their accommodation to go on the street of Lagos with their family and die. Very many can no longer afford three sequel meals and their medication at old age; this is not a good testimony for our dear country Nigeria. This hardship is occasioned by the unkind verification procedure and the unnecessary lent of time it takes for PenCom to complete work on a pensioner entitlement. This act of wickedness must no longer be allowed to continue, if for no other reason, but for the survival of our country.

 The Nigeria Senate, sometime early this year, alluded to this fact, when it condemned the subjection of the nation’s pensioners to harsh verification exercises before the collection of their entitlements.
The Senate also urged President Goodluck Jonathan to direct relevant government agencies to desist from the subjection of pensioners to limitless verifications.
The upper legislative house mandated its committee on Establishment and Public Services and States and Local Governments to conduct a public hearing into the management and administration of pension funds.
The resolution followed a motion moved by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on the plight of pensioners in the country and the need for the Senate to investigate the payment of pensioners.
Lokpobiri said it took some pensioners as many as three years after retirement to process their papers while they were often owed arrears of payment for several years.
He argued that the dexterity in the administration of pensions and gratuities would add impetus to the fight against sharp practices in the country.
The lawmaker said the plight of the nation’s senior citizens after serving the country meritoriously was not only worrisome but unacceptable.
He stressed ``the pensioners are often made to loiter and sleep in public places for several days for the purported verification exercises that have become endless and persistent,’’.
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba described the undue subjection of pensioners to harsh verification procedures as `` institutionalized wickedness. ’’

 As earlier stated, I voluntary retired from the service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 18^th of December 2009. Granted that I could not immediately do my verification exercise that year, because I was in school for a Master degree programme at old age, I finally had the opportunity to participate in the verification exercise on the 14^th June, 2011 in Lagos, for me to complete that exercise, it took me three days. A year and some months after the so-called verification, I am still been told by Pension Commission Officials in Abuja, that work has not yet been completed on my pension. What is most disappointing is the arrogance and unpleasant behaviour of some of the commission’s officials. Most of PenCom officials both junior and senior operate as people who have sworn to an oath of secrecy, never to allow a pensioner know what the exact position is, with regard to their pension.

A critical look at the pension reform act 2004 shows, that there is no time frame stipulated for PenCom to complete work and ensure that a pensioner is paid. This open clause, I presume the commission’s officials are taken as a license to carry out institutional wickedness; this must stop for God sake. I also heard from a reliable source, that the officials in the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, who are expected to issue pensioner bonds, are not helping matters either, as bonds are kept for months unattended to in their offices on flimsy excuses. One therefore wonders, if these people will one day get to retire from the service. Presently, staff from PenCom and the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation of Nigeria, are behaving in a manner most unacceptable, not knowing that the pleasure of life are short-lived, and that more often than not, life itself is full of ups and down. Life means responsibility, a journey wherein change is constant and difficulties are many.

One is however, worried if the Federal Government ever get to realise the adverse effect and security challenges that could result from the shabby treatments of it pensioners. Already the country has it handful of crimes.

 According to the National Bureau of Statistics NBS, in 2010 65% of Nigeria's wealth is owned by just 20% of the population. This effectively means that 80% of the population share between them only about one third of the nation's wealth. This income inequality manifests itself in conspicuous consumption by a few side by side with abject poverty experienced by the many.

Income inequality, refusal to pay pensioner their entitlements as at when due, unemployment and poverty have been shown to correlate strongly with increases in violent crimes in societies. This cocktail is what US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson referred to when he stated that Nigeria's Boko Haram was capitalizing on popular discontent with bad governance in Nigeria in general and the North in particular. The fact that virtually all indices of development and progress have been deteriorating from 2007 in spite of being a period of high oil prices and production should make every thoughtful person to question what is happening.

Among the Public Sector Employee retirees in Nigeria, we have a large concentrate of well trained personnel that could further compound the nation’s security challenges, one only hope, those in authority are reasonable enough, to know how best to manage these group of people, so as not to forced them to deploy their vast experience and training to negative use, at the detriment of the country, if the present maltreatment of pensioners is not stopped. Also the Nigerian government has a lot to benefit, if they henceforth chose to dignify their retirees. I, like most retirees, wants our pension paid before death come calling. PenCom as a matter of urgency most improve on it service to the Nigeria Public, and most be open to all inquiries if it want to be taken seriously.

As the saying goes “the labourer deserves it wages”. I honestly can no longer wait; I am looking forward to the prompt payment of my entitlements without any further excuse from PenCom.

 Mr. Omonhinmin is a Media Consultant based in Lagos.

IN DEFENCE OF MY FAITH AND CHURCH.

The tragic news that gunmen believed to be adherents of the Boko Haram Islamist sect attacked a Deeper Life Bible Church in a town in Kogi State, in North central Nigeria, I must say break my heart immensely.

The attack, already widely reported, was said to have been carried out at about 8:30 p.m on Monday, August 6^th 201 2. So far, the gentle souls of about twenty innocent people are said to have been dead, while several others injured, in the dastardly act.

The attackers we were told, laid siege on the church while a vigil was on, bombarding it with a barrage of gun shots.

Considering that this is an attack that was masterminded in the wee hours of the night, no security or health officials were available to give a helping hand to these unarmed people.

Painful as this ugly incident is, and as we all grieve over what has happened, it is important to note, that this act of barbarism is not done in the propagation of Islam. Islam is no doubt, a religion of peace and not violence. People, who are in a position to know what Islam is, such as Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, the Saudi Arabian-based Nigerian Islamic scholar, has been quick to point out, that there is no compulsion on non-Muslims to convert to Islam. Sheikh Gumi made the assertion in his ongoing Ramadan sermon at the historic Sultan Muhammadu Bello Mosque in Kaduna.

“Mallam [Teacher] as the Sheikh is popularly called made it clear that there is no compulsion and forceful conversion of anybody to Islamic religion. He explained that enemies of Islam and some misguided Muslims are responsible for creating confusion and division among the Muslim Ummah.”

In concluding his talk, Sheikh Gumi implored Muslims to seek knowledge in order to know what they are doing and to follow Allah accordingly.

My conviction therefore, is that people that attack churches and kill innocent Nigerians in their thousands in pretext of propagating Islam, first and foremost lack knowledge and are not doing what they claimed to be doing, in pursuit of Allah’s will. A pointer to this fact is based on Sheikh Gumi’s submission when he said "In the Holy Scriptures, both Christians and Muslims are taught that God is the Source of peace and the bestowal of security. And since the doctrine of peace and security are His will, the establishment of that peace and maintenance of security must, therefore, be the constant objective of all Muslims and Christians alike. Those who choose to entrench a campaign of violence and threats against others who have done nothing to provoke them must take a break, reevaluate Allah’s message of peace and harmony and understand that only through conformity to the spirit of peace, patience, conscience and the promotion of human welfare can we achieve a society where all can co-exist".

This position is further re-enforced by the fact that I grew up in Auchi town in Estako-West in Edo State, where you have a large percentage of Muslims co-habiting with Christians.

Anyone, who is familiar with Auchi, Agbede and neighbouring environs in Edo State, will observe that Islam is taken very seriously and practiced to the letters. Although, Muslims are in the majority in these towns, adequate room is made for other religion to flourish. In view of the forgoing, I grew up admixed religious tolerance and harmony. My late father, Dominic Anekhorme Omonhinmin, had a liberal nature, which I would say contributed to my unique upbringing. While he was a practicing Christian, he granted my mum, Aminat, her right to remain a Muslim and we the children the freedom to choose which God we want to serve.

Although, I have always been a practicing Christian myself right from inception, my first contact with western education was in the Auchi Muslim Primary School, where it was compulsory then, to study the Holy Qur’an. My late grandmother, Awuta Elamah, whom I lived with as a child in Auchi, was quite fanatic about Islam. She made sure that I had what could be regarded as the elementary knowledge of the Holy Qur’an. As far as she was concerned, I had no choice in the matter and for us to live in peace I needed to do her bidding. It was after this, that I had the opportunity to attend a Christian Missionary Secondary School. This unique upbringing gave me adequate insight into the two dominants religion in Nigeria, Islam and Christianity. My fair knowledge of both books has no doubt helped me in my adult life.

No religion as far as I know, preaches or support violence or the killing of innocent souls.

My bible teaches me, that in the beginning when God created heaven and earth, on page one of Genesis, God started the creation process without any pre-existing things. He began with nothing. With the presence of His Holy Spirit and the entrance of His Word, creation happened. He brought order, light, life, and beauty out of chaos and darkness. Every time He said, “Let there be...” it happened.

My bible says, not only can God create something from nothing, but everything He creates is good. Seven times in the story of creation, God said that what He had made was good. If everything God makes is good, doesn’t that mean we are too? God created us for good, and He is redeeming our life to that end. He is all about redemption. And He never makes an error. Even if something appears to ruin or pervert what God had made. He provides us a way back to complete restoration.

Anybody familiar with the Deeper Life Bible Ministry and its doctrine, will very well say, that salvation of mankind, righteousness’ and holiness without which no man can see God, is centre to its teaching. From the head of the church to the ordinary member, deliberate efforts are made to practice what is preached. One therefore, wonders what is the rationale behind the attack on members of the church, who were barely carrying out a night vigil in their church, in accordance with the Christian doctrines.

As if having a premonition of the event to come, Pastor William F. Kumuyi, the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Ministry, on Wednesday 16^th April, 2012, expressed his concern over the worrisome development in the country. He said in a press statement that “It has become imperative for all Nigerians to join hands quickly in moving the nation away from the precarious knife-edge on which she is now seemingly placed and rein-in dispositions that are dysfunctional to our well-being. The endless debates and energy-sapping controversies over restructuring, resource control, revenue allocation formula, and ethnic nationalities and so on must not be allowed to imperil the posterity of this great nation”.

As if Pastor Kumuyi saw the present savagery coming, he stressed in the same statement that “Every society seeks to resolve crises and conflicts usually through dialogue. And wherever this fails, or where contesting parties refuse this option, the portents have always been very dire. It led to wars and bloodshed, which have merely served to expose the savagery of the depraved human nature. I have always been intrigued by the action of combatants who eventually revert to the negotiating table, after a needless and clearly avoidable bloodletting”. The Deeper Life Bible Ministry ministers are all in league with the church General Overseer in the effort to make our society a better place.

For example, in the Bariga Province where I worship, Pastor Felix Ojebisi, the Group Co-ordinator of that arm of the church, is known to have organised various health programmes that have benefited and brought lot of succour to the Muslim members of that community and their families. Bariga, has a large population of Muslim in Lagos. It is therefore amazing, why a church like this, could be targeted for any form of an attack.

Well, Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Make sure the hull of your convictions can withstand the stress of collisions. Builders of the Titanic should have been so wise. The luxury liner sank because contractors settled for cheap rivets. Rivets are the glue that holds the steel plates together. Facing a shortage of quality bolts, the builders used substandard ones that popped their heads on impact with the iceberg.

How sturdy are the bolts of your belief? Reinforce them with daily Bible readings, regular worship, and earnest communion with God.

All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of God and serve His good will. When the world appears out of control, it isn’t. We can trust God and Him alone!

Mr. Omonhinmin is a Media Consultant based in Lagos.

IN DEFENCE OF MY FAITH AND CHURCH.

The tragic news that gunmen believed to be adherents of the Boko Haram Islamist sect attacked a Deeper Life Bible Church in a town in Kogi State, in North central Nigeria, I must say break my heart immensely.

The attack, already widely reported, was said to have been carried out at about 8:30 p.m on Monday, August 6^th 201 2. So far, the gentle souls of about twenty innocent people are said to have been dead, while several others injured, in the dastardly act.

The attackers we were told, laid siege on the church while a vigil was on, bombarding it with a barrage of gun shots.

Considering that this is an attack that was masterminded in the wee hours of the night, no security or health officials were available to give a helping hand to these unarmed people.

Painful as this ugly incident is, and as we all grieve over what has happened, it is important to note, that this act of barbarism is not done in the propagation of Islam. Islam is no doubt, a religion of peace and not violence. People, who are in a position to know what Islam is, such as Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi, the Saudi Arabian-based Nigerian Islamic scholar, has been quick to point out, that there is no compulsion on non-Muslims to convert to Islam. Sheikh Gumi made the assertion in his ongoing Ramadan sermon at the historic Sultan Muhammadu Bello Mosque in Kaduna.

“Mallam [Teacher] as the Sheikh is popularly called made it clear that there is no compulsion and forceful conversion of anybody to Islamic religion. He explained that enemies of Islam and some misguided Muslims are responsible for creating confusion and division among the Muslim Ummah.”

In concluding his talk, Sheikh Gumi implored Muslims to seek knowledge in order to know what they are doing and to follow Allah accordingly.

My conviction therefore, is that people that attack churches and kill innocent Nigerians in their thousands in pretext of propagating Islam, first and foremost lack knowledge and are not doing what they claimed to be doing, in pursuit of Allah’s will. A pointer to this fact is based on Sheikh Gumi’s submission when he said "In the Holy Scriptures, both Christians and Muslims are taught that God is the Source of peace and the bestowal of security. And since the doctrine of peace and security are His will, the establishment of that peace and maintenance of security must, therefore, be the constant objective of all Muslims and Christians alike. Those who choose to entrench a campaign of violence and threats against others who have done nothing to provoke them must take a break, reevaluate Allah’s message of peace and harmony and understand that only through conformity to the spirit of peace, patience, conscience and the promotion of human welfare can we achieve a society where all can co-exist".

This position is further re-enforced by the fact that I grew up in Auchi town in Estako-West in Edo State, where you have a large percentage of Muslims co-habiting with Christians.

Anyone, who is familiar with Auchi, Agbede and neighbouring environs in Edo State, will observe that Islam is taken very seriously and practiced to the letters. Although, Muslims are in the majority in these towns, adequate room is made for other religion to flourish. In view of the forgoing, I grew up admixed religious tolerance and harmony. My late father, Dominic Anekhorme Omonhinmin, had a liberal nature, which I would say contributed to my unique upbringing. While he was a practicing Christian, he granted my mum, Aminat, her right to remain a Muslim and we the children the freedom to choose which God we want to serve.

Although, I have always been a practicing Christian myself right from inception, my first contact with western education was in the Auchi Muslim Primary School, where it was compulsory then, to study the Holy Qur’an. My late grandmother, Awuta Elamah, whom I lived with as a child in Auchi, was quite fanatic about Islam. She made sure that I had what could be regarded as the elementary knowledge of the Holy Qur’an. As far as she was concerned, I had no choice in the matter and for us to live in peace I needed to do her bidding. It was after this, that I had the opportunity to attend a Christian Missionary Secondary School. This unique upbringing gave me adequate insight into the two dominants religion in Nigeria, Islam and Christianity. My fair knowledge of both books has no doubt helped me in my adult life.

No religion as far as I know, preaches or support violence or the killing of innocent souls.

My bible teaches me, that in the beginning when God created heaven and earth, on page one of Genesis, God started the creation process without any pre-existing things. He began with nothing. With the presence of His Holy Spirit and the entrance of His Word, creation happened. He brought order, light, life, and beauty out of chaos and darkness. Every time He said, “Let there be...” it happened.

My bible says, not only can God create something from nothing, but everything He creates is good. Seven times in the story of creation, God said that what He had made was good. If everything God makes is good, doesn’t that mean we are too? God created us for good, and He is redeeming our life to that end. He is all about redemption. And He never makes an error. Even if something appears to ruin or pervert what God had made. He provides us a way back to complete restoration.

Anybody familiar with the Deeper Life Bible Ministry and its doctrine, will very well say, that salvation of mankind, righteousness’ and holiness without which no man can see God, is centre to its teaching. From the head of the church to the ordinary member, deliberate efforts are made to practice what is preached. One therefore, wonders what is the rationale behind the attack on members of the church, who were barely carrying out a night vigil in their church, in accordance with the Christian doctrines.

As if having a premonition of the event to come, Pastor William F. Kumuyi, the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Ministry, on Wednesday 16^th April, 2012, expressed his concern over the worrisome development in the country. He said in a press statement that “It has become imperative for all Nigerians to join hands quickly in moving the nation away from the precarious knife-edge on which she is now seemingly placed and rein-in dispositions that are dysfunctional to our well-being. The endless debates and energy-sapping controversies over restructuring, resource control, revenue allocation formula, and ethnic nationalities and so on must not be allowed to imperil the posterity of this great nation”.

As if Pastor Kumuyi saw the present savagery coming, he stressed in the same statement that “Every society seeks to resolve crises and conflicts usually through dialogue. And wherever this fails, or where contesting parties refuse this option, the portents have always been very dire. It led to wars and bloodshed, which have merely served to expose the savagery of the depraved human nature. I have always been intrigued by the action of combatants who eventually revert to the negotiating table, after a needless and clearly avoidable bloodletting”. The Deeper Life Bible Ministry ministers are all in league with the church General Overseer in the effort to make our society a better place.

For example, in the Bariga Province where I worship, Pastor Felix Ojebisi, the Group Co-ordinator of that arm of the church, is known to have organised various health programmes that have benefited and brought lot of succour to the Muslim members of that community and their families. Bariga, has a large population of Muslim in Lagos. It is therefore amazing, why a church like this, could be targeted for any form of an attack.

Well, Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Make sure the hull of your convictions can withstand the stress of collisions. Builders of the Titanic should have been so wise. The luxury liner sank because contractors settled for cheap rivets. Rivets are the glue that holds the steel plates together. Facing a shortage of quality bolts, the builders used substandard ones that popped their heads on impact with the iceberg.

How sturdy are the bolts of your belief? Reinforce them with daily Bible readings, regular worship, and earnest communion with God.

All things, big and small, flow out of the purpose of God and serve His good will. When the world appears out of control, it isn’t. We can trust God and Him alone!

Mr. Omonhinmin is a Media Consultant based in Lagos.