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Abia Moves To Weed Out Ghost Pensioners

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Abia State government has commenced the biometric -data capturing of all pensioners to ascertain the actual number of genuine pensioners on the state’s payroll.
Addressing journalists in Umuahia, Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Aham Uko, stated the exercise is designed to checkmate the rising cases of irregular names on the pension scheme, which had also made it difficult for the payment of pensions.

The Commissioner expressed hope that at the end of the exercise, the huge monthly pension bill bedeviling the state will be pruned down to ensure regular payment of genuine pensioners.

He explained that biometric data capturing exercise which will last for 10 days across the 19 sub treasuries across the state , would also include facial-capturing and finger-printing as well as Biometric Verification Number, BVN, confirmation of pensioners.

Putting the pension state’s pension arrears at N21 billion, the Commissioner explained that government was concerned about the huge bill and was determined to reduce it.

He disclosed that before he assumed office, the state was battling with a monthly N540 million pension bill, he was able to prune it to N380 million.

The Commissioner assured that all genuine pensioners captured during the exercise would receive their pension for the month of March, assuring that provisions had been made for spillovers who would get paid as soon as they were captured

In his words, “We are commencing a biometric data capturing of pensioners in the state. We need to ascertain who the genuine pensioners are and to ensure that we sort out the huge pension bills and ensure regular payment of pensions. The will be fingerprint and facial capture of all genuine pensioners.

The exercise will hold in the 19 sub treasuries in the state. The Nigerian Union of Pensioners will be at the exercise to identify their members to be captured. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu wants pensioners to be treated with dignity and to enjoy the benefits of their active years in service. He wants pensioners who have served the state to receive their money monthly,” he said.

Uko further explained that pensioners who travelled outside the state should not bother coming back for the exercise but simply log in to the website already provided and get captured.

To make the exercise less stressful for the pensioners, he Commissioner pledged that ambulances would be stationed at the sub treasuries to tackle any health emergency, even as the pensioners would also get free blood pressure and blood sugar tests.

He advised pensioners in the state to participate in the exercise to enable the government to commence regular payment of pensioners in the state

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Business

emPLE Unveils Endowment Plan For Savings, Protection

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emPLE Life Assurance Limited has announced the launch of BETA Life, an endowment policy designed to empower Nigerians to grow their wealth, secure their future, and protect what matters most.
The product offers a unique combination of protection and savings in one simple, flexible plan helping Nigerians meet their financial goals, while staying protected through life’s uncertainties.
With three cash benefits spread over the policy term, BETA Life helps customers plan for real goals, be it education, rent, homeownership, or business without having to wait till the end of the tenure to benefit from their plan.
Speaking on the launch, Rantimi Ogunleye, MD/CEO of emPLE Life Assurance Limited, said: “BETA Life is more than a product; it’s a solution built around the realities of our customers. It’s for the parent who wants to secure their child’s future, the entrepreneur planning ahead, or the individual who wants to save smartly without losing the safety net of protection. We’ve brought together savings and life insurance into one plan, because we believe financial empowerment shouldn’t mean choosing one over the other.”
With flexible policy durations and multiple payout points, BETA Life is designed to adapt to a customer’s journey while providing peace of mind. In the unfortunate event of death or permanent disability, the plan ensures that loved ones or the policyholder are financially supported, proving that life insurance can be just as much about living well as it is about preparing for life’s uncertainties.
This launch is a continuation of emPLE’s mission to make life insurance more inclusive, relevant, and empowering, giving more Nigerians the tools to build financial resilience with confidence.

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Business

Sovereign Trust Insurance Appreciates Nigerian Workers As May Day Holds

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As the world marks this year’s edition of Workers’ Day on Thursday, May 1, 2025, the Managing Director of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Mr. Olaotan Soyinka has lauded the efforts of Nigerian workers and their contributions to national development.
Soyinka, who spoke at the company’s Appreciation Day Ceremony in Lagos, noted that a virile and dedicated workforce is instrumental and germane to the progress of any society.
He said the date, May 1, should be seen as a very important one because it is the day set aside to celebrate and give due respect to workers all over the world regardless of their social strata in the society.
According to him, “every legitimate form of work is as important as the other and credence must be given to all and sundry without any bias”.
In appreciating the staff of Sovereign Trust, Soyinka congratulated them and urged them not to relent in the judicious discharge of their duties as they strive to maintain the worldclass standard of the STI brand.
He further said that the management of the company will not stop at investing in the development of the its human capital, while also placing technology at the heart of its business operations. He equally assured the members of staff that their labour will not go in vain as they contribute their quota to the growth and advancement of the organisation.
He wished them a hearty Workers’ Day and encouraged them to always make the customer the focal point in their day-to-day activities.
He said”our customers should be at the heart of our business just as we must not compromise on delivering service excellence at every given opportunity thrown our way”.
The Head of Human Resources for Sovereign Trust, Adeola Onichabor, in her response to the managing director, thanked the management for the uncompromising stance in investing in training and human capital development for members of staff both at the local and international level.
She stated that Sovereign Trust has on parade an array of professionals in different fields of specialisation who effectively compliment the efforts of the professional underwriters in the organisation.
She equally used the opportunity to thank and encourage her colleagues to continue in their stride of hard work and dedication to the ideals of the company.
She enjoined them to also respect and honour one another in the discharge of their duties as the organisation strives to maintain best practice standards in the comity of insurance companies in the country and beyond.
Some members of staff who had been with the organisation from inception were equally recognised and appreciated for their commitment, unwavering dedication and contribution to the growth of the organisation in the last 30 years of the company’s formation.
Sovereign Trust is an equal opportunity employer of labour with an uncompromising stance on high ethical standards and astute professionalism. The Head of Human Resources and Capital Development equally used the opportunity to wish every Nigerian worker and workers globally, a happy celebration on Workers’ Day come May 1, 2025.

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Business

PenCom Strives To Recoup N1.3bn Unpaid Pension Contributions From Media Houses

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Executive Secretary of Nigerian Press Council, Dr. Dili Ezughah and the Director General of National Pension Commission, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran during a recent working visit to the Council in Abuja.

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has stated that newspaper organisations are owing over N1.3 billion in unpaid pension contributions for journalists. This was disclosed by the Director General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, who led a delegation to the Nigerian Press Council in Abuja.
Oloworaran expressed concerns over widespread non-compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2014 among media establishments.
Consequently, PenCom and the Nigerian Press Council have entered into a strategic collaboration to prevail on newspaper organisations to settle the huge pension liabilities owed to their employees.
The PRA 2014 mandates that employers remit monthly pension contributions into employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) not later than seven days after salary payments.
According to the PenCom DG, many media houses have failed to adhere to this requirement, prompting the Commission to assign Recovery Agents to audit and determine their outstanding pension debts and applicable penalties.
Recently, the PenCom DG has been leading an aggressive enforcement drive, building strategic partnerships with regulatory agencies aimed at recovering unpaid pension contributions from organisations running into billions of Naira.
However, the focus on the media sector is highly significant being the first time of conducting such high-level engagements towards resolving the lingering issue.
Oloworaran said journalists deserve to retire with dignity as they play a vital role in ensuring accountability across the public and private sectors.
Media organisations, in turn, must lead by example by fulfilling pension obligations to their employees.
She appealed to the Nigerian Press Council for support in advocating compliance within the media sector, emphasising that pension contributions are a critical safeguard against old age poverty.
“Pension is a vital component of our social security system, and even the government has begun to take it more seriously,” she added.
In response, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dr. Dili Ezughah, pledged the council’s support and commitment to addressing the issue.
Dr. Ezughah said the Nigerian Press Council would escalate the matter to relevant stakeholders, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors, highlighting the significant impact of unpaid pensions on journalists’ welfare. He decried the failure of media organisations to remit pension contributions as a significant challenge in the Nigerian media industry.
The discussions culminated in the establishment of a joint working group of PenCom and the Nigerian Press Council, tasked with ensuring a speedy resolution of the issue.

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