A former Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt and Iran, Umar Wali, has pleaded with the federal government to look into his case, saying that he receives a paltry N2,400 as monthly pension.
The retired diplomat said he retired as a grade 16 civil servant in 1990 with an initial pension of N50,000, after serving his fatherland for 36 years.
He said that instead of increasing, his pension had continued to shrink and was even stopped for some years.
“Even as a retired ambassador who served this nation for 36 years, for eight years I had been receiving N1, 800 as my monthly pension and later it was increased to N2, 400; that is what I have been given as my pension in the last eight years,” Wali lamented.
“I am 82 years and weak. I have written several complaints to pension office in Abuja to no avail. I have also gone there on several occasions to complain on the same issue.
“I have written and they promised to rectify but up till this moment nothing has been done about it. I am appealing to authorities concerned to as a matter of fairness look into this issue,” he pleaded.
DAILY TRUST newspaper reported that in response to the former ambassador’s claims, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, said that Wali’s outstanding benefits has been processed but is awaiting approval.
Theodora Amechi, Head of Corporate Communications of the Directorate, said that the ex-ambassador was captured is the Civil Service Verification Exercise in November 2015, in Kano.
“The pensioner supplied affidavits for his letter of first appointment and letter of retirement which delayed the resolution of his complaint,” Amaechi said.
It would be recalled that the PTAD had undergone interruptions in leadership as three different persons have headed the Directorate this year.
Early in the year, Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun, suspended the former Executive Secretary of the Directorate, Nellie Mayshak, and appointed an acting head.
However, a new executive secretary, Sharon Ikeazor, was recently appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.