News Post

The House of Representatives on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 mandated its Committee on Pension to conduct an investigation into an alleged misappropriation of Pension Fund by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). The resolution of the House which stemmed from a motion moved by Hon. Sergious Ose Ogun specifically charged the Committee to focus its investigative attention on auditing the assets of pension offices existing before the commencement of the pension reform Act, 2014 that were transferred to the PTAD; review the activities of the PTAD in managing the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) since inception; and determine the level of compliance by the PTAD with pension reform Act, 2014 in the execution of its mandate. The Committee is to report back to the House within six months for further legislative action.

Hon. Ose Ogun informed that the public is buzzed with allegations against the management of PTAD bordering on abuse of office, misappropriation of pension funds, non-payment of 33% harmonized arrears to mention a few. He complained that “unless there is a strict compliance with the Pension Reform Act, 2014, the nation could be thrown back to the era of irregularities that subjected retirees to enormous hardships and ultimately negate the objectives of establishing the PTAD”. 

In another motion moved by Hon. Christopher Ngoro Agibe, on the need to eradicate Malaria using the Dichloro-DiphenyI-Trichloroethane (DDT), the House passed a resolution urging the Federal Ministry of Health and the Centre for Disease Control and other related agencies to move the national malaria plan from the prevention stage to the eradication stage. The resolution does not only mandate the Health Ministry to include DDT in its eradication program but to work in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Environment to make arrangements for the procurement and effective deployment of DDT for the eradication of mosquitoes, thus, control the scourge of malaria.

Hon. Agibe in his motion further prayed the House to prevail upon the Ministry of Environment to make adequate regulations and supervision to forestall illegal diversion of DDT for agricultural uses; adding that the Committees on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control and Legislative Compliance to ensure strict adherence to the resolution.