The Personal Assistant to the President, Lauretta Onochie, in her Facebook official page compared the harsh experiences of Pensioners pre-Buhari administration and now.
And she opined the positive change the Senior Cicizens are now enjoying as very derserving of yesterday leaders.
Read Lauretta Onochie:
? Many years ago when the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), was created, my mother who worked at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing was transferred to FEPA. She worked there till she retired.
? For about four years after her retirement, my mother got no gratuity nor pension. The same story or worse was the case of many Senior Citizens in this country. It was heart-wrenching to think that some people colluded to steal from Pension funds of our old men and women, who worked hard for our nation and denied them the comfort they deserved after serving meritoriously.
? But it’s different today. Change has come to our retired elders. Pension arrears of up to 42 months have been cleared by the Buhari Administration. And their monthly pension allowances, continue to be paid.
? Our Pensioners are now being treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. A retired family friend of mine told me that when she went for verification, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD treated her and other Pensioners as if they were royalty.
? But we are not surprised at the turn of events at PTAD. There’s a round peg in a round whole at PTAD. She’s the no nonsense, hard-working Barrister Sharon Ikeazor. She understands what was wrong, what needs to be changed and she’s doing it.
? I have been told that inefficient, ineffective and dishonest civil servants, cannot be sacked in Nigeria. It is risky. The reason being that one could be sacking a staff that was employed, not because of his or her qualifications and the ability to do the job, but because s/he was employed under the instruction of a more senior staff. Nepotism!
? Sharon is a democrat. She’s uncompromisingly fair. So PTAD’s verification exercise began with its own staff where five deputy Directors whose employment breached establishment regulations, were sent home. Heavens did not fall because she followed due process in the civil service regulations.
? Today, PTAD continues to dazzle. Their staff are receiving the much needed training to deal with our senior citizens.
? For our Senior citizens who are unable to travel for verification exercises, PTAD would travel to their villages and hospitals to reach them.
? Our Senior citizens have never had it so good in recent times. If this is not CHANGE, I don’t know what is.
? God bless Nigeria.
Lauretta Onochie
@Laurestar.
www.sojworld.com (c) August 1, 2017
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