NEWS: Pension reforms: FG saves N2.1bn annually and lots of Other News Reports

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Pension reforms: FG saves N2.1bn annually

The Federal Government on Thursday said it had blocked loopholes in the old pension scheme where over 15,000 ghost pensioners were included on the its payroll.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said this at a forum organised by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate where pensioners and other stakeholders gathered to interact and according to her, the reform of the pension system is currently saving the country N2.1bn annually, especially since the establishment of the PTAD two years ago.

Ms. Nellie Mayshak who is the Director-General, PTAD said at the event that a major milestone recorded by the agency was checking dubious financial transactions in commercial banks, which pensioners’ funds were hitherto channelled to.

Okonjo-Iweala while speaking on the blockage of loopholes for the perpetration of pension fraud,  said 14 individuals, whose identity she kept secret, were currently standing trial in the law courts over the probe initially carried out by the National Assembly in 2013on pension administration, in which N32bn was allegedly squandered, she also said  through the government’s integrated financial management information system, the PTAD had been able to consolidate to just four several accounts in commercial banks holding pension funds that had been prone to looting.

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Deaf association urges Jonathan to sign disability bill

A coalition of deaf teachers has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the disability bill into lawAs a condition to support his re-election bid.

The coalition, comprising the Nigeria Deaf Teachers Association, Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, Deaf Voices Coalition and the Lagos State Association of the Deaf, made the appeal in Lagos on Thursday.

Adewale Adeyanju, the Executive Secretary of the Deaf Voices Coalition , who spoke on behalf of the coalition, noted that Nigerians living with disabilities constituted an important electoral population with their numerical strength.

According to him, “Our deafness is cheating us because there is no law protecting us. Other countries, even among developing nations have signed the Disability Bill, which has made their countries more habitable and friendly for persons living with disabilities.

 

Man in police net for selling son

Mr. George Maduabuchi, from Owerrinta in the Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State is in the police net for allegedly selling his 14-month-old son for N300,000.

The father of four who is a  palm tree harvester in the community was said to have connived with Obinna Erondu, now at large, to perpetrate the act.

Mr. Joshak Habila, the Commissioner of Police who paraded the suspect along with other suspected criminals on Thursday, said, “Luck ran out on Maduabuchi when the wife alerted the police on his questionable role when the baby fell ill and he took him out and did not return with him.”

According to the suspect he took his son who was sick to a herbalist, who later gave him money because he could not heal the baby.