Metro
FCTA Releases N1.3bn For Retirees Payment
By Laide Akinboade, Lagos
Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has approved the release of N1, 284,000,000) for the payment of retirees in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Director and Chief Executive Officer, FCT Area Council Pension Board Mr Nanzing Nden revealed this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
The Director stated that the amounts would be used to settle two hundred and forty seven (247) retiree officers of the Area councils and the LEA teachers.
Nden who said that the approval was meant for the payment of those who have submitted their documents and have been processed for payment up to April this year added that as of April to date the board has received only thirty one files that would be process.
He also explained that, “We recalled that at the last briefing I intimated of the fact that we are going to start an advanced payment system for retirees from our system. So as of today, we only have thirty one files that have been send to us from May to date for total liability of one hundred and thirty eight millions which is outstanding”.
The Director further said the Board is sticking its plan that by September this year, the board intend to pay their pensioners three months before their retirement.
He noted that the ideas was to run away from the former system where people retired and stay for years before getting access to their benefits.
Mr Nden also disclosed that by the year 2020 the Board has the vision of paying six months about to retirement year.
The CEO of the board further said they also got the approval of tender board from the FCT Administration which means that all the files of pensioners that have been paid through their system will be converted to e-files adding that all the old files would be sent to FCT Archives for storage.
Speaking further, he said going forward they will have the software for any files or documents coming to FCT Area councils Pension Board.
He said such files or documents must be converted to an E-environment for easy work flow.
Nden also stated that another approval the board has gotten form the FCT administration was for consultancy for insfrastructure and ICT deployment which he said was in favor of files consultant and the consultant are to help them with system for accounting, auditing, pension administration and other services within the pension system.
“Another Consultant that had been approved also by the administration is the Actuarial Variations which is in favor of AD Sani. It will be responsible for upgrading our actuarial variations for pension management so that those who have complains of low payment of benefits before will be attending to”, he added.
The Director while pointing out that in the last variations that was conducted eight years ago some people were omitted from the variation list assured the pensioners that with this consultancy it will cure the defect that were notice in the last variations exercise.
“Those that will benefit from this consultancy service will have better pay out because we are going to factor increases that have been mandated by the Salary Income and Wages Commission which require that every five years we increase pension. These are some of the approval we have gotten”, said the Director.
He also hinted that from now on-ward the FCT Area councils Pension Board will be a reference point to other systems and expected that they work hard to meet up to the expectations of the pension retirement system.
He then enjoined the retirees to be little patient and allow the account people do the necessary processing of the voucher and also allow it go through auditing before payment commences.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
The National Boundary Commission (NBC), says it has concluded plans to provide infrastructure in flash locations along interstate boundaries to encourage integration and cooperation.
The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday.
Adaji said that the commission would look at flash point areas and provide infrastructures that would encourage cooperation and integration among border communities.
He said that the goal was to see how the commission could bring people in border communities together to share from a common facility.
This, according to him, will douse tension and bring some kind of understanding among border communities.
“The bounder communities will share the facilities, which in the long run will bring the people together and eventually reduce tension and boundary conflicts.
“This is a way of encouraging integration and cooperation by encouraging people to come together, relate with one another and engage in beneficial commercial activities.”
Adaji said that a similar initiative was test runed with a borehole, constructed boundary corridor in Ado Local Government Area of Benue state, where it shared boundary with Ebonyi.
“We have also been able to construct some market stalls in the Ebonyi sector of the boundary between Ebonyi and Cross River,” he added.
“So, our appeal is for people to appreciate, cooperate and understand that boundaries are not barriers.
“The boundary line will not stop somebody from owning properties across and that is what we want to partner with the states to educate people along by the boundary corridors. (NAN)
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended ten private jet operations over failure to begin recertification process.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Michael Achimugu, Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection on Friday in Abuja.
The agency said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.
3. 4 forbids holders of Permit for Non Commercial Flights (PNCF) from using their aircraft for carriage of passengers, gargo or mail for hire or rewards (commercial operation or charter services)“As a result of flagrant disregard of this rule, the NCAA had earlier directed all holders of PNCF to undergo re-evaluation which should have been concluded by the April 19, 2024.
“To this end, the NCAA has suspended the PNCF
of Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd and Matrix Energy Ltd.
” Also Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide Skypaths Services, Mattini Airline Services Ltd, Aero Lead Ltd, Sky Bird Air Ltd and Ezuma Jets Ltd.
“The public is hereby notified that it is illegal to engage PNCF holders for commercial purposes. The NCAA will not hesitate to initiate enforcement actions against any PNCF holder found guilty of illegal operations,” the agency said.
The agency said that its officials had been deployed to General Aviation Terminals (GAT) and private wings of the airports to monitor activities of the PNCF holders. (NAN)
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