CITY NEWS Bello to resolve teachers’ unpaid pension First set of FCT pilgrims arrive Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has promised to resolve issues of non-remittance of pension deductions made from the salaries of FCT primary school teachers by the area councils.

The minister, who made this promise recently when the standing committee of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) FCT chapter paid him a visit in Abuja, said the FCT Administration might be compelled to make deductions at source from the allocations of area councils, if it was proven that they actually spent the money on other items.

Bello who was responding to requests by the teachers to look into their welfare, including several months of unremitted pension deductions from their salaries, said necessary steps would be taken to ensure that the funds were paid into their pension fund accounts.

The minister said, “I believe our Area Council Service Commission and office of the Auditor General, Area Councils are looking at some of these things.

“We will look at it and make sure that if the deductions have been made at the point of payment of salary, then we want to know where the money is. If by any chance the area councils used the money for their own expenses, we will set up a team to look into it. Whatever is due to be remitted, we will make sure that it is removed at source so that it is remitted and the accounts balanced.”

Malam Bello explained that the policy of the FCT Administration is that all pension deductions made from workers’ salaries must be remitted into their pension accounts without delay.

He said, “We have made a lot of progress trying to make sure that for each deduction made, immediately the deduction is remitted to the PFA account because the whole idea of the PFA account is for money to be invested in each person’s account.

“So, if you just keep the money and you don’t post it, it’s unfair to the staff. But I will check and see what the issues are.” The first contingent of the FCT pilgrims returned to Abuja from Jedda last night. A total of 485 pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) departed King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, for Abuja.

They were airlifted by Flynas, a Saudi Arabian Airline with flight number XY7701.

Alhaji Abdullahi Saleh, the Commissioner in charge of Operations, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said the commission had concluded arrangements to ensure a hitch-free return of Nigerian pilgrims.

Saleh said Flynas would conclude its return flight on Oct. 2, while Medview would begin on Sept. 10 and finish on Sept. 25.

He added that Max Air would begin airlifting of returning pilgrims on Sept. 9 and conclude on Oct. 5.

He advised pilgrims against carrying excess luggage, adding that the conveyor belt at the airport was calibrated to reject any luggage weighing more than 32kg.

He also advised states pilgrims welfare boards and agencies to provide weighing scales for pilgrims at their accommodation to weigh their luggage before heading to the airport.

The commissioner said about 85 per cent of ‘Zam Zam’ water for pilgrims had already been transported to the country and would be distributed to pilgrims upon return.

The Managing Director of MedView Airline, Alhaji Munnir Bankole, said the return journey was the most challenging aspect of the exercise. (NAN)