The new Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Major General Julius Osifo, has pledged to ensure prompt payment of pensions, gratuities, death benefits and other entitlements to retired military personnel and families of deceased servicemen.
Osifo made the pledge on Wednesday during the handing-over ceremony between him and his predecessor, Air Vice Marshal Mikhail Abdulraheem, at the board’s headquarters in Abuja.
He said his administration would prioritise the welfare of military veterans and families of personnel who died in the line of duty by making benefit payments faster, easier to access and less bureaucratic.
“My mission statement will be anchored on leading a Board that will prioritise all ways and means to ensure payments are prompt, accessed with seamless ease, less cumbersome, less bureaucratic, but with an overriding commitment to ensuring only the rightful recipients get their due entitlements,” he said.
The new chairman said delays in the payment of death benefits to families of soldiers killed in action could undermine the sacrifices of fallen personnel and affect the morale of troops still engaged in military operations.
“From my personal experience in OPHK, I can tell you outright that inefficient administration leading to default in payments of benefits to NOK of KIA not only diminishes the sacrifices of our gallant soldiers, but also dishonours the memory of those killed in action and demoralises the fighting spirit of those in combat,” Osifo said.
He added that the same concern applied to personnel who retired or were discharged after serving in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Osifo, who became the 26th chairman of the board, said he would build on the achievements of his predecessors and deploy technology to improve pension administration.
He said the board would also strengthen collaboration with the military services and other relevant institutions to identify beneficiaries proactively and ensure faster processing of their entitlements.
“The implementation strategies for the attainment of this mission statement include leveraging smart systems of contemporary technology, effective liaison with the Services for proactive identification of beneficiaries, prompt processing of benefits and enhanced capacity building of MPB personnel,” he said.
The chairman also pledged to improve the capacity and motivation of the board’s personnel, saying a well-trained and motivated workforce was essential to achieving its objectives.
He said his ultimate goal was to reposition the board to ensure prompt and seamless payments to veterans and families of fallen soldiers.
“My desired end state is to reposition the MPB to be technically proficient towards the optimisation of my vision of prompt and seamless payments to veterans and families of fallen heroes,” he said.
Osifo assumed leadership of the board following the completion of Abdulraheem’s tenure.
In his valedictory remarks, the outgoing chairman thanked officers, soldiers and civilian staff of the board for their cooperation and support during his tenure.
He urged them to extend the same commitment to his successor, stressing that the board’s mandate depended on teamwork and a shared commitment to the welfare of military pensioners and their next of kin.
“The mandate of this Board is bigger than any individual and its success depends on our ability to remain united and focused on the welfare of our military pensioners and their Next-of-Kin,” Abdulraheem said.
He expressed confidence in his successor and wished him a successful tenure.