Ex-servicemen protest unpaid debarment allowances two years after Buhari’s approval

Retired military veterans under the aegies of Coalition Of Concerned Veterans (CCN), have protested over their unpaid Security Debarment Allowance two years after the payment was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Military Pensions Board had also assured the veterans that the payment was to commence two weeks ago but according to the retirees, the payment has not yet commenced.

The Media Director of the Coalition, Roy Okhidievbie, who spoke on the protest on Wednesday, said the hindrances in paying their allowances ought to have been envisaged and could have been averted.

“The Military Pension Board is a disbursing department to veteran accounts. The same board receives from CBN via instruction from Ministry of Finance and disburses to veterans account.

“After many years of handling veterans disbursement, even as little as mobile app being used by individuals, we will agree there are stalled transactions but when it happens you must follow up.

READ ALSO:Lagos govt assures ex-servicemen of support

“It is obvious that people handling this matter lack empathy, they are not directly concerned and connected. Until we see the veterans as a valuable to the nation, we will never understand the exigency in quick closure of our needs,“ Okhidievbie said.

However, Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Rear Adm. Saburi Lawal, in a statement on Wednesday, said the delay in the payments was caused by banks inability to credit the accounts of the retirees, but assured that efforts were being made to resolve the observed problems and commence payment.

“It has come to the notice of the board that bank accounts of some of our esteemed pensioners are yet to be credited with their entitlements, especially for those banking with the Unity Bank, Access Bank, Eco Bank, Keystone Bank and Heritage Bank.

“It is pertinent to clarify that the delay is not caused by the board. It is as a result of some technical hitches experienced in the execution of the MPB’s mandate by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks earlier mentioned.

“Furthermore, the Board is using this medium to request all members of veteran associations to please inform NOKs of deceased pensioners that payment of SDA to eligible deceased military pensioners will commence on Thursday, January 19,” he said.

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