Nigeria: Community debunks rumour of plot to attack Chevron

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Read Time:1 Minute, 6 Second

Amadiwei, Chairman of Benikrukru Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Jeffrey Ojogun, has said there was no security threat to the operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL.

Speaking in Benikrukru Community Town Hall during a general meeting of the community, where leaders of the community passed a vote of confidence on him and his exco, Ojogun specifically urged Chevron to disregard the rumour of planned disruption of its operations in the area.

He said: “We will ensure that Chevron’s operations and facilities are well protected. We are going to ensure that there is no pipeline vandalism, no oil theft. It has not happened before and the people and Chevron know this quite well.”

Ojogun, whose tenure lasts till October, added “we are telling members of the public in general and Chevron in particular that there is no security threat in Benikrukru community and that there is no cause for alarm.

“We are peace-loving people of the state and the country and ours is to ensure the promotion of the peace and security.”

agenda of the Delta State Government.

“I am very grateful to the confidence all of you have reposed in my executives. As far as the community is still with me, I have full confidence.”

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Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria: CNPP scribe faults Jonathan on job creation

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Read Time:1 Minute, 12 Second

National Publicity Secretary of Conference of National Political Party, CNPP, Chief Osita Okechukwu, yesterday, described President Goodluck Jonathan’s new year speech as a patriotic one but disagreed with his promise on job creation.

Okechukwu told Vanguard, that unless the government invests substantially in the critical infrastructure, the desire to create employment for the teeming jobless Nigerians would be a mirage.

“The president’s speech is a patriotic speech, however, we don’t know how he can create employment without investing in critical infrastructure such as the coal deposit in Enugu, the mass bitumen deposit in Ondo, the Mambilla power plant and aggressive investment in the Railways.”

Okechukwu, who was governorship candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, in 2011 elections in Enugu State, said “if the president continues with the policy of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that ‘government has no business in business’ and the party’s philosophy to share the money, then he cannot achieve the promises he made to Nigerians.”

Noting that the president was emphatic on employment generation, he said that Jonathan could not achieve any of the stated plans “if he leaves our excess foreign reserve to be poached by people like Dangote without investing in our critical infrastructure. This might turn out to be one of those empty promises; unless there is a huge investment in critical infrastructure, he cannot create any employment.”

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Nigeria owes UN N600 billion

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Read Time:2 Minute, 54 Second

NIGERIA is owing the United Nations (UN) a grand total assessed contribution of $3, 847,723 (about N600 billion).

Seen as debts by the UN system accounting apparatus, mere irregularity of payments are enough to threaten Nigeria’s status as well as influence within the global body at a time efforts are being intensified for the country to take a permanent seat at the UN Security Council (UNSC).

Already, Nigeria has consistently been missing in the UN yearly roll of honour, a clear embarrassment considering the nation’s commanding height vis-à-vis some countries that are on the roll of honour.

The worry by diplomatic watchers is that a debt carried over to this year (2013) may not augur well for a smooth running of the machinery put in place by Nigeria’s otherwise brilliant team. Interestingly, the total amount of money being owed excludes outstanding $30,000 being arrears of the $5,000 fixed annual contribution to the G77 + China Group for the period 2007-2012 (six years).

The outstanding contributions are broken down into: Regular Budget ($1,843,269), Peacekeeping Operations ($1, 869,971) and International Tribunals ($104,483). But the country managed since 2009 to pay the fourth tier remittance known as the Capital Master Plan. Voluntary contributions to the tune of $250,000 has been recommended for Nigeria for 2013, even as deliberations on the methodology for determining scale of assessment on contributions were ongoing.

Owing to the perceived sensitive nature of the Nigeria’s financial remittance status, it is an issue nobody at both her Permanent Mission to the UN and Nigeria House bureaucracy wishes to speak on. But documents obtained by The Guardian at the UN relevant departments put the country’s “effective participation” and strategic functioning in jeopardy.

According to a key source at the UN, “the continued delay by Nigeria, and this is amazing, to settle her assessed contributions to the UN is a big slur on the image and status of the country, especially when compared to some countries of lesser standing in the UN that have since paid theirs.

“Now, this situation places the country in a very disadvantageous position when it comes to taking key decisions as well as participating in some vital activities of the organisation.”

The Guardian investigations reveal that contrary to what obtains at the UN, Nigeria is up to date with her financial commitment to multilateral organs on the continent – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU). At the continental level, Nigeria, alongside South Africa, Egypt, Libya and Algeria, are the biggest contributors (60 per cent) to the AU finances.

However, there is a slight departure at ECOWAS, where the assessed due provision has been abolished and replaced with the community levy. Nevertheless, Nigeria has withheld 40 per cent of the community levy as a way of protesting the expenditure pattern of the sub-regional community, which was dubbed “funny” by the Nigerian ECOWAS desk during the closing days of the administration Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Nigeria still picks about 65 per cent of all ECOWAS budgets. The community levy brings about a situation where 0.5 per cent taxes on goods imported into the ECOWAS area from without are paid into a dedicated account. ECOWAS would be running on a deficit in 2013 if Nigeria continues to withhold its due on the community levy.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Lawmaker asks FG to abolish SURE-P

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Read Time:1 Minute, 44 Second

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, has asked the Federal Government to abolish the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme because it lacks clear focus.

He said since the SURE-P was inaugurated a year ago, the government could not point out to Nigerians what the programme had done.

Speaking in Uyo on Thursday while fielding questions from journalists, Enang said he was not satisfied with the Federal Government’s implementation of the SURE-P.

He said if the SURE-P was to be managed properly, the fund would have been invested in things that could be seen and in things that would reduce the sufferings of the people like building modular refineries.

Enang said, “I am not satisfied with the Federal Government’s implementation of SURE-P. As a subsidy reinvestment fund, SURE-P should be invested in things that will be seen, in things that can reduce the sufferings of the people; above all it should be reinvested in building refineries.

“It should be reinvested in alternative programmes that can sustain the people after oil. It should be reinvested in things that improve energy in Nigeria. I will urge the Federal Government to abolish the SURE-P funding. Any money that is saved by removing the subsidy should be paid into the Federation Account and shared between the three tiers of governments. What the fund has done, we cannot see; there is duplication of projects, the fund is not managed reasonably.”

The senator said the country needed to reduce its dependence on importation of refined petroleum products and that it should direct its efforts to building modular refineries in each state of the federation.

Enang lamented the paucity of federal projects in Akwa Ibom State, saying the number of federal projects in the state was far too small compared to what was obtainable in other states.

He said out of the N250bn released by the Federal Government for the implementation of projects in every state of the federation, only N5m was allocated to Akwa Ibom State.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Oil price jumps to nine-week high

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Read Time:2 Minute, 21 Second

United States oil futures rose to the highest in more than nine weeks on Wednesday on hopes that renewed talks would prevent a US fiscal crisis, and as cold weather and technical buying added to the upward momentum.

US crude for February delivery rose by 2.7 per cent to settle at $90.98 per barrel, and reached its highest intraday level since October 19, Reuters reported.

Brent rose by 2.1 per cent to settle at $111.07. Volumes were thin with some traders absent during the United States’ holiday season. United Kingdom markets were shut on Wednesday for Boxing Day.

President Barack Obama cut short a vacation to return to Washington on Thursday and is to hold budget talks aimed at averting the so-called fiscal cliff, a series of automatic tax increases and government spending cuts.

The measures will take effect next week if the administration and lawmakers are unable to reach a deal.

Forecasts for temperatures at below seasonal norms also helped boost oil prices, since a cold snap can raise demand for products like heating oil. Commodity Weather Group expects a cold pattern to continue for most of the United States for the next 10 days.

Technical buying also helped boost US oil futures, which extended gains on Wednesday after breaking through a 100-day moving average for the first time since October.

That move could set up a test of the 200-day mark at $92.20 a barrel, traders said.

“The market is taking advantage of thin holiday trading, boosting out of its trading range. Its thin volumes and technical trading,” Addison Armstrong, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut, told the news wire.

Some traders attributed gains in part to news that OPEC member country, the United Arab Emirates, said on Wednesday it had arrested a “cell” of UAE and Saudi Arabian nationals who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks in both countries, which hold some of the world’s largest oil fields.

Traders have been placing a premium on oil for months due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Crude also rose due to buying at a key technical support level above $90 a barrel, and possible algorithmic short-covering, traders said.

Oil prices rose in spite of a modest drop for US equities prices, as the S&P 500 index fell by 0.3 per cent.

Oil was also supported by expectations Japan’s new prime minister would pursue drastic stimulus policies to drive the economy of the world’s third-largest oil consumer out of deflation.

Shinzo Abe was voted in as prime minister by parliament’s lower house on Wednesday, giving the hawkish lawmaker a second chance at Japan’s top job.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Questions over jobs at Nigeria’s rights agency

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Read Time:2 Minute, 45 Second

Questions are now being raised over a secret recruitment of workers by Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Abuja contrary to the provision of the Federal Character Commission Act

Findings revealed that about 253 people were hurriedly employed a week before the Governing Council of the commission was inaugurated.

Under the amended National Human Rights Commission Act, 2010, it is the council that has the powers to authorize employment.

Section 8 (1) provides: “The Council shall have power to appoint directly, and either on transfer or on secondment from any public service in the Federation, such number of employees as may, in the opinion of the Council, be required to assist the Commission in the discharge of any of its functions under this act, and shall have power to pay to persons so employed such remuneration (including allowances) as the Council may determine.

“(2) The terms and conditions of service (including terms and conditions as to remuneration, allowances, pensions, gratuities and other benefits) of the person employed by the Commission shall be as determined by the Council from time to time.”

However, in order to undermine the provisions of the Act, over reach the council and in clear violation of the Federal Character policy, the commission led by Prof Ben Angwe, had hurriedly allocated jobs to favoured persons and issued letters of employment to cronies without even inviting them for an interview or aptitude test.

A staff of the commission said that the stuffing was done on the weekend preceding the Monday when the council was inaugurated. The council was inaugurated on Monday 26th November 2012 by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Mr. Mohamed Adoke, a senior advocate of Nigeria.

However a senior staff in the Commission told P M News that the commission obtained waiver from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to carry out the said employment but he however could not rationalize why the said jobs were not advertised in line with government policy.

He nonetheless said that the jobs were advertised on the commission’s website.

Documents obtained from the commission revealed that no provision was made for the payment of the salaries of the illegally employed workers.

Besides, some were posted to states where the commission had no offices.

“There was no advertisement. No interview. Nigerian youths were not given the opportunity to apply for the jobs but some big men here just issued letters to their brothers and townsmen some of whom do not have the idea of what the commission does”, an aggrieved staff of the commission stated in confidence.

He explained that the commission fraudulently disguised the states of the newly employed by listing some of them under the states different from their states of origin. He cited the example of ascribing Nasarawa state to someone who comes from Benue.

He called on the governing council of the commission to as a matter of urgency re-dress the wrong by giving qualified Nigerians the opportunity to be considered for work at the commission..

One of the beneficiaries of the illegal recruitment who claimed to be a christian confirmed that he was not invited for an interview and that his letter of employment was brought to him in the house.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Questions over jobs at Nigeria’s rights agency

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Read Time:2 Minute, 45 Second

Questions are now being raised over a secret recruitment of workers by Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission, Abuja contrary to the provision of the Federal Character Commission Act

Findings revealed that about 253 people were hurriedly employed a week before the Governing Council of the commission was inaugurated.

Under the amended National Human Rights Commission Act, 2010, it is the council that has the powers to authorize employment.

Section 8 (1) provides: “The Council shall have power to appoint directly, and either on transfer or on secondment from any public service in the Federation, such number of employees as may, in the opinion of the Council, be required to assist the Commission in the discharge of any of its functions under this act, and shall have power to pay to persons so employed such remuneration (including allowances) as the Council may determine.

“(2) The terms and conditions of service (including terms and conditions as to remuneration, allowances, pensions, gratuities and other benefits) of the person employed by the Commission shall be as determined by the Council from time to time.”

However, in order to undermine the provisions of the Act, over reach the council and in clear violation of the Federal Character policy, the commission led by Prof Ben Angwe, had hurriedly allocated jobs to favoured persons and issued letters of employment to cronies without even inviting them for an interview or aptitude test.

A staff of the commission said that the stuffing was done on the weekend preceding the Monday when the council was inaugurated. The council was inaugurated on Monday 26th November 2012 by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Mr. Mohamed Adoke, a senior advocate of Nigeria.

However a senior staff in the Commission told P M News that the commission obtained waiver from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to carry out the said employment but he however could not rationalize why the said jobs were not advertised in line with government policy.

He nonetheless said that the jobs were advertised on the commission’s website.

Documents obtained from the commission revealed that no provision was made for the payment of the salaries of the illegally employed workers.

Besides, some were posted to states where the commission had no offices.

“There was no advertisement. No interview. Nigerian youths were not given the opportunity to apply for the jobs but some big men here just issued letters to their brothers and townsmen some of whom do not have the idea of what the commission does”, an aggrieved staff of the commission stated in confidence.

He explained that the commission fraudulently disguised the states of the newly employed by listing some of them under the states different from their states of origin. He cited the example of ascribing Nasarawa state to someone who comes from Benue.

He called on the governing council of the commission to as a matter of urgency re-dress the wrong by giving qualified Nigerians the opportunity to be considered for work at the commission..

One of the beneficiaries of the illegal recruitment who claimed to be a christian confirmed that he was not invited for an interview and that his letter of employment was brought to him in the house.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Trawler operators call for policy intervention

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Read Time:2 Minute, 11 Second

Fish trawler operators, under the aegis of the Nigerian Fishing Trawlers Association of Nigeria, have called on the Federal Government to urgently address critical issues affecting the growth of the trawling industry in Nigeria.

The body said this could be done through the institution of a sound overriding policy for the subsector, and provision of incentives.

NITOA, in a statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos on Wednesday, said instead of achieving improvements in its members’ operations and contributions to the growth of the nation’s economy, emerging statistics from the subsector had continued to be discouraging.

Specifically, NITOA said the business had been bogged down by a myriad of challenges, including high cost of operation, especially occasioned by the means of supply of Automotive Gas Oil (commonly known as diesel); activities of sea pirates; absence of centralised fishing terminal; and much more importantly, the uneven administration of the Export Expansion Grant.

The President of President, Mr. John Overo, was quoted in the statement as saying that the combined effects of the problems had led to a drastic reduction in the number of fishing companies, from 44 operating companies three four years ago to seven firms currently.

“If a subsector, which boasted about 44 members three years ago currently has about seven that are active in business, that should tell you the kind of challenges in the sector,” he said, adding that it was difficult to predict what would happen to the remaining members, except the authorities rose to the challenge of bailing the sector out.

Overo said for a sector facing competitive challenges from overseas operators, that there was no way it could survive without the Federal Government’s support, especially through policy pronouncements.

He cited the example of the Export Expansion Grant scheme, which he described as a very good policy support for operators but had been lacking in performance, as a veritable desired support instrument.

“We are appealing to the government to come to our aid. We want to say in clear terms that for the sector to thrive and contribute its quota, these issues need to be addressed. The export incentives, particularly the EEG scheme, are indispensable instruments and should be continued in order to encourage value addition, generate employment, mitigate bottlenecks/constraints and achieve the much desired non-oil export competitiveness and diversification.”

Specifically, he said one way of actualising this was for the government to ensure that its agencies accept the Negotiable Duty Certificate for any payments due to it, in addition to import duties, Value Added Tax, income and withholding tax.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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Trawler operators call for policy intervention

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Read Time:2 Minute, 11 Second

Fish trawler operators, under the aegis of the Nigerian Fishing Trawlers Association of Nigeria, have called on the Federal Government to urgently address critical issues affecting the growth of the trawling industry in Nigeria.

The body said this could be done through the institution of a sound overriding policy for the subsector, and provision of incentives.

NITOA, in a statement made available to our correspondent in Lagos on Wednesday, said instead of achieving improvements in its members’ operations and contributions to the growth of the nation’s economy, emerging statistics from the subsector had continued to be discouraging.

Specifically, NITOA said the business had been bogged down by a myriad of challenges, including high cost of operation, especially occasioned by the means of supply of Automotive Gas Oil (commonly known as diesel); activities of sea pirates; absence of centralised fishing terminal; and much more importantly, the uneven administration of the Export Expansion Grant.

The President of President, Mr. John Overo, was quoted in the statement as saying that the combined effects of the problems had led to a drastic reduction in the number of fishing companies, from 44 operating companies three four years ago to seven firms currently.

“If a subsector, which boasted about 44 members three years ago currently has about seven that are active in business, that should tell you the kind of challenges in the sector,” he said, adding that it was difficult to predict what would happen to the remaining members, except the authorities rose to the challenge of bailing the sector out.

Overo said for a sector facing competitive challenges from overseas operators, that there was no way it could survive without the Federal Government’s support, especially through policy pronouncements.

He cited the example of the Export Expansion Grant scheme, which he described as a very good policy support for operators but had been lacking in performance, as a veritable desired support instrument.

“We are appealing to the government to come to our aid. We want to say in clear terms that for the sector to thrive and contribute its quota, these issues need to be addressed. The export incentives, particularly the EEG scheme, are indispensable instruments and should be continued in order to encourage value addition, generate employment, mitigate bottlenecks/constraints and achieve the much desired non-oil export competitiveness and diversification.”

Specifically, he said one way of actualising this was for the government to ensure that its agencies accept the Negotiable Duty Certificate for any payments due to it, in addition to import duties, Value Added Tax, income and withholding tax.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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N6.5bn NSTIF contributions transferred to RSAs —PenCom

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Read Time:4 Minute, 15 Second

A sum of N6.57bnNational Insurance Trust Fund contributions was transferred into the Retirement Savings Accounts of 83,305 workers in the first quarter of 2012.

The National Pension Commission disclosed this in a report made available to our correspondent on Monday.

It stated that, “The total transfer of NSITF contributions during the first quarter of 2012 was N6.57bn, for the benefit of 83,305 NSITF members.”

According to the commission, PenCom amended the guidelines on the transfer of NSITF cont

A sum of N6.57bnNational Insurance Trust Fund contributions was transferred into the Retirement Savings Accounts of 83,305 workers in the first quarter of 2012.

The National Pension Commission disclosed this in a report made available to our correspondent on Monday.

It stated that, “The total transfer of NSITF contributions during the first quarter of 2012 was N6.57bn, for the benefit of 83,305 NSITF members.”

According to the commission, PenCom amended the guidelines on the transfer of NSITF contributions to employees RSAs to allow employers make direct submission for the transfer of the NSITF contributions of the active employees.

In the quarter, it added that “the commission reviewed and conveyed concurrence” to Trustfund Plc for 3,151 applications for the transfer of N207.3m into the NSIFT members RSA maintained with the Pension Fund Administrators.

The commission said that in 2011, approval was granted for the transfer of Nigeria Provident Fund (NSITF) contributions totalling N4.7bn in respect of 66,589 out of the 69,500 applications received from contributors.

To fast-track the transfer of NSITF contributions to employees RSAs, it added that the commission pursued direct engagement with significant employers, who were employers that had remitted contributions of N20m and above.

Under the old pension scheme, the National Provident Fund was established by the Act of Parliament in 1961 to regulate private sector pension scheme in the country. It ensured monthly contributions from the basic salaries of workers, to be contributed by both the employee and the employer.

The NPF was later converted to a limited social insurance scheme and administered by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund in 1993.

The Pension Act of 1979 and the NSITF, which administered the old scheme, subjected pensioners to very challenging conditions as they faced non-payment of their pensions, which resulted in the retirees queuing for days to claim what they believed they were owed. Many retirees died under such undue hardships.

This scheme was not funded, leading to mounting pension liabilities that became unsustainable. It was much unregulated; there was non- existence of pension schemes in many sectors, coupled with difficulty in accessing benefits.

The unfortunate setbacks of the scheme led to the repeal of the 1979 Act and the subsequent amendment of the Nigerian Social Trust Fund Act of 1993.

The 2004 Pension Reform Act was promulgated and it ensured a contributory scheme for the payment of retirement benefits of employees of the public service of the federation, the federal capital territory and the private sector.

ributions to employees RSAs to allow employers make direct submission for the transfer of the NSITF contributions of the active employees.

In the quarter, it added that “the commission reviewed and conveyed concurrence” to Trustfund Plc for 3,151 applications for the transfer of N207.3m into the NSIFT members RSA maintained with the Pension Fund Administrators.

The commission said that in 2011, approval was granted for the transfer of Nigeria Provident Fund (NSITF) contributions totalling N4.7bn in respect of 66,589 out of the 69,500 applications received from contributors.

To fast-track the transfer of NSITF contributions to employees RSAs, it added that the commission pursued direct engagement with significant employers, who were employers that had remitted contributions of N20m and above.

Under the old pension scheme, the National Provident Fund was established by the Act of Parliament in 1961 to regulate private sector pension scheme in the country. It ensured monthly contributions from the basic salaries of workers, to be contributed by both the employee and the employer.

The NPF was later converted to a limited social insurance scheme and administered by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund in 1993.

The Pension Act of 1979 and the NSITF, which administered the old scheme, subjected pensioners to very challenging conditions as they faced non-payment of their pensions, which resulted in the retirees queuing for days to claim what they believed they were owed. Many retirees died under such undue hardships.

This scheme was not funded, leading to mounting pension liabilities that became unsustainable. It was much unregulated; there was non- existence of pension schemes in many sectors, coupled with difficulty in accessing benefits.

The unfortunate setbacks of the scheme led to the repeal of the 1979 Act and the subsequent amendment of the Nigerian Social Trust Fund Act of 1993.

The 2004 Pension Reform Act was promulgated and it ensured a contributory scheme for the payment of retirement benefits of employees of the public service of the federation, the federal capital territory and the private sector.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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