Ok let’s do it now. #PMBPaysPensions right? We are told Buhari loves pensioners and he’s taking care of those abandoned by past govts right? But do you know who loves pensioners even more? Her name is Ms. Reform and she’s A Queen. Her problem is she doesn’t make noise
Recall that APC campaigned as a team but as soon as they won, the party turned into a personality cult around Buhari. This allowed him launch Operation Vandalise The Economy in 2015 while his party looked on and even cheered him on.
That vandalism caused millions to lose their jobs. But Ms Reform stepped in, quietly, to take care of her people. Come with me to the 2016 PenCom Annual Report (pencom.gov.ng/wp-content/upl…) and look well at this table 
As if she knew a day like this would come, she put in a provision in the pension reform to allow people who lose their jobs and are out of work for 4 months to withdraw up to 25% of their pension pot. It was a lifesaver for many
From 2004 to 2014 (when Buhari was doing nothing but run for President), Ms Reform paid out N32bn to 96k people who lost their jobs. But in 2 years of Buhari? She paid out N30bn to 96k people. 2yrs payout matching 10yrs
But that’s just one part of what Ms Reform does. Let’s look at other parts. Like I said, she doesn’t make noise and no one lines up outside her office to shout for their pension. She just quietly delivers what people expect. Look at this chart for normal retirements
When people retire, she gives them 2 types of payments. 1st one is the lump sum (aka Gbagam!) and then regular monthly payments. Since 2004, she has paid out more than $1bn to 142k retires as Gbagam! And has also been paying them an average of N4bn every month. No noise, no queue
How about when people die in service? Ms Reform got them. Since 2004, she has paid out N111bn to the loved ones of 37k people (68% of them FG workers) who died in service. No noise, no queue
Life also happens when you don’t expect it. What if sickness forces you to retire? Again, Ms Reform delivers. She’s so far paid out N174m as lump sum to 320 people and continues to pay them N85m every month.
She also pays out annuities to some people. Almost 35k people have been paid N47bn lump sum and N1.75bn every month on average since 2004. No noise, no queue, no owing. Straight to their bank accounts
How does she do it? By simply taking 7.5% (now 8%) from worker’s salaries and another 7.5% (now 10%) from their employers. She then invests that money so that when they retire it has grown enough to pay them quietly with no noise
But if you don’t make that small contribution, there’s not much she can do. She’s not a magician - she uses what you give her to work. And what did APC do in 2015/2016? They stopped paying. States also stopped punchng.com/fg-stops-remit…
But Buhari loves pensioners because he paid airways workers N22bn (Yar’Adua also paid N29bn) after cutting down the eligible time period. Greater love hath no man for pensioners than he paying their contributions on time ( saharareporters.com/2017/04/30/pre…)
These people want to take Nigeria back to the past where everything and everyone was dependent on Govt. They hate, demonise and undermine the things that worked most especially in the private sector
They want you to be grateful to Govt for every little thing. That poverty is increasing under them is not a mistake. Buhari cannot come to close matching the number of pensioners Ms Reform has been low-key taking care of. But she does not trend hashtags, sadly. She just works
Do not let this intellectually fraudulent party damage the future. I’m speaking from experience - I was defrauded. The economy they want will destroy all the little things that have worked quietly to make life a little better and secure for people.
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(P.S PenCom haven’t released their 2017 report - or perhaps not uploaded it to their website - that’s why I used the 2016 report)
