How CBN denied pensioners Christmas pay allowances

Thousands of Nigerian pensioners were denied their payments during the Yuletide period due to CBN’s misunderstanding with commercial banks over non acceptance of biometric exercise carried out between April and May.

It was learnt that the rejection of the biometric data was because the record showed that about 60 per cent of the record was not accountable by the banks through which the various payments were to be made to the pensioners.

The Chairman, National Union of Pensioners (NUP), Joseph Odua, accused the Federal Government of deliberately denying his members the joy of Christian.

He accused both the CBN and about 10 banks of holding back the funds and denying the pensioners under them the opportunity of celebrating the Yuletide and New Year festivities with their families.

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Odua said, “a few banks have paid a few pensioners but many others have not released huge sums of money belonging to the pensioners. Everyone is aware that our money is with them because the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate told us that the money had been released to them.”

But the Head, Corporate Communications, PTAD, Theodora Amechi, said the organisation was working with relevant authorities to ensure a quick resolution of the problem.

He confirmed that only 33 per cent arrears were to be paid as soon as funds were available.

It was said that some of the affected pensioners were seen in banks without any money in their accounts, and had no money to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.

The affected retirees, who expressed worry that undue hardship was sending many of them to their early grave, appealed to the Federal Government to respond to their plight and pay their pensions.

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