Ex-pension Boss Offers to Assist Buhari Stop Corruption in Sector
The former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, yesterday said he was ready with his former colleagues, who were then drawn from the State Security Service (SSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to assist the Presidentelect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari stop corruption in the pension sector.
He said one of the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan was the setting up of the Pension Reform Task Team in 2010, adding that the team in its two years of operation, was able to recover N280 billion for government.
“The team courageously stopped the stealing of N300 million daily by the management of Police Pension Office in 2011, the stealing of N4.25 billion from the Head of Service on monthly basis and the establishment of an electronic pension management system and smart cards to curb stealing,” he said.
Speaking through one of his former members who is the Executive Secretary, Legislative Watch, Hon. Ngozika Ihuoma, while addressing the media in Abuja on how to sanitise the sector, said all those involved in pension theft must be decisively brought to book.
He said: “Thank God that the president-elect is a pensioner. Every effort must be put in place to ensure that our senior citizens enjoy the fruit of their labor here on earth.”
Reacting to statement credited to a coalition of civil society group led by Comrade Ali Abacha in a national daily, not THISDAY, he said Abacha’s allegations against the team that comprised SSS, EFCC, ICPC and other paramilitary agencies, were made in sheer desperation, adding that it was his attempt to fight PRTT back because of the blockage of channels of leakages of the pension fund.
To authenticate his claim against Abacha, Maina made available a charge sheet dated June 24, 2011 (Appendix 9), which was instituted by EFCC against, Messrs Shuaibu Teidi, Ali Abacha and Elder Actor Zal at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Maina said: “Ali Abacha is one of the 42 persons and companies who are currently facing trial by the federal high court Abuja his involvement in looting of pension funds when he was the president of Nigeria Union of Pensioners to the tune of N2.7 billion.”
On the allegation of missing N195 billion, under his headship, he said “We want to put it on record that there is no missing or stolen N195 billion pension fund discovered anywhere by the Senator Etuk-led Joint Committee on Establishment and Public Service and states and local government administration. It was therefore a fabrication and concoction of lies just to discredit and stop the team from the good job it was doing.”
The former chairman explained that the findings and proceedings of the Etuk probe committee was declared null and void by the federal high court on March 2013 for not meeting the constitutional requirements of sections 88 (1) of 1999 Constitution as amended.
He said: “It is also important for Nigerians to know that since of the PRTT in June 2010 to its disbandment in 2012, the National Assembly has never appropriated one Naira for the team in its appropriation Acts in 2010, 2011 2012 and 2013.”