PenCom advises justices, judges on fair judgement on pension matters

By Abdul Olalekan

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has charged justices, judges and other senior judicial officers to seek more enlightenment on the rudiments of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) so that they would be able to give fair judgement on pension matters in the country.

The Director-General, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, who spoke at the sensitisation workshop on CPS organised by PenCom for Justices, Judges and senior Judiciary officers in Abuja, noted that it is pertinent for the judiciary to understand how the new pension scheme works, noting that this was why her commission was sensitising them as part of the continuous effort to disseminate knowledge and understanding of the rudiments and mechanism of CPS.

This, according to her, was meant to facilitate the onerous task of adjudication on pension matters by the honourable justices and judges of the apex and lower courts.

She stressed that the PRA 2014 introduced some innovations in the pension system, instituted a stiffer regime of sanctions and penalties for infringements, upward review of the minimum rate of pension contribution in order to enhance the value of pension payouts and expanded the coverage of private sector employees under the CPS.

“Therefore, the important role of the Judiciary in ensuring that the Pension Reform remains on course and deepened, as enshrined in the PRA 2014 cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, in discharging this task, the Judiciary requires a forum such as the present one, for in-depth discourse on the provisions of the PRA 2014, as well as legal and institutional frameworks of the Contributory Pension Scheme,” she stated.

Earlier, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria,  Hon. Justice Walter S.N Ononghen, had charged justices and judges that they owe a duty to the generations yet unborn to help ensure that pensioners who devoted their lives and strengths in the service of Nigeria receive their pensions benefits as and when due.

To consolidate this consciousness, he urged judiciary to support the federal government’s fight against corruption.

“Here lies the need for objectivity and impartially by regulatory officials, accountability by pension administrators and transparency by Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) and other stakeholders,” he pointed out.