N200b: Reps Probe Recovered Funds by Maina’s Pension Task Force

The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to probe activities of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, between 2010 and 2013.

Specifically, the House seeks to probe the utilisation of about N200billion recovered by the Task Force, during the leadership of its former Chairman, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

To this end, the House  set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate activities of theTask Force from 2010 to the time of its dissolution in 2013, and report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative action.

The investigation will also be extended to and all the successor agencies.

The member representing Balanga/Billiri federal constituency of Gombe state, Hon. Ali Isa JC, in a motion titled ‘all to Investigate the Current Situation of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms,’ explained that the Presidential Task Force on Pensions Reform was created in June 2010 with the main objective of tracking and recovering pensions of all public service retirees.

According to the motion the Task Force became embroiled in widespread allegations of looting of pension funds and has been unable to account for more than N200 billion  as a result of which the Task Force was dissolved in February, 2013.

According to the motion,  the Task Force took charge of the Police and the Head of Service Pension Funds and that more than N180 billion was alleged to have been recovered from various banks and also that more than 75,000 ghost pensioners were paid while genuine pensioners were left unattended to.

He observed that since the dissolution of the Task Force, the public had not been duly informed of what became of the billions of naira recovered by the Task Force.

(Leadership)