By Lina Musa
….Distances members from alledge protest against her reappointment
…As FEPPPAN asked President to ignore noise makers, enemies of Nigerian pensioners
By Christian Appolos, Abuja
The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reappointing Dr. Chioma Ejikeme as the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).
NUP said with the innovative ideas she introduced such as I Am Alive among others that revolutionised pension administration and management for good, her empathetic dispositions towards pensioners and quick reactions to their issues as well as her resolved to ensuring that humongous pension arrears and entitlements owed to different pensioners’ groups are cleared, not reappointing her would have been to the detriment of all that pensioners are currently enjoying.
The pensioners’ union therefore distanced itself from rumours of protest against her reappointment by some pensioners. NUP added that whoever the group of pensioners protesting her reappointment are, they are being used and sponsored by arch-enemies of the entire Nigerian pensioners.
Contained in a statement signed by NUP NationaI President, Mazi Godwin Abumisi, the union added that Ejikeme’s reappointment was one borne out of merit as she had in her first tenure as PTAD ES rejuvenated the hopes of pensioners all over the country by her leadership style and professional disposition to the job.
In his words; “I Chief Godwin Abumisi wish to commend His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President Federal Republic of Nigeria for the reappointment of Dr Chioma Ejikeme as the Executive Secretary (ES) of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).
“This sterling reappointment is indeed well merited and gladdens the hearts of the over two hundred and fifty thousand pensioners managed by PTAD, considering the diligent work she has so ably done for the pensioners ensuring the prompt payment of our monthly pensions and attendance to other challenging issues in the last 4years.
“I wish to state that in the NUP, there exists no objection to her appointment. Any talk of protests against her reappointment exists in the hollow minds of persons obviously sponsored by arch enemies of the Nigerian pensioner. I hereby call on all members of the NUP to rally around Dr Ejikeme in order to ensure she continues the good works of restoring the dignity of the Nigerian pensioner.”
Reacting to the rumours of the protest against her reappointment, the General Secretary of the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) Franklin Enrile, said his members feel disappointment and displeasure that any pensioner would think of kicking against Dr. Chioma Ejikeme’s reappointment for any reason. He stressed that the feat she achieved in the administration of pension management in the country in recent past that eases the stress and undignified treatment pensioners went through in the past is such that no right thinking person will wish contrary to her reappointment.
He categorically said that no member of FEPPPAN is against her reappointment, let alone protest against it in any capacity. He went on to urged those “being used to by some invisible persons for selfish reasons should be honest to themselves and desist from being use to work against Nigerian pensioners and all that PTAD under her watch do for them.
“We in FEPPPAN are so shocked to hear that someone somewhere is kicking against Dr. Ejikeme’s reappointment. I wonder what whoever those pensioners are stand to gain by protesting. We are rather grateful to President Tinubu for bringing her back to us. Her innovative idea made our lives easier. President Tinubu in honest did us a favour by reappointing her and we appreciate him. Meanwhile, I want to believe that Mr. President examined her track records and find her worthy to continue the work she started at PTAD. Therefore we urge President Tinubu to ignore the noise.” Enrile, added.
