The activists say on Aisha Dahir-Umar’s watch, PenCom has recorded exponential growth of pension assets from N6.42 trillion in 2017 when she assumed office to N14.6 trillion as of October 2022.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
A coalition of civil society groups has warned against the attempt to stain the reform-minded Director General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar with corruption allegations.
The groups, including Campaign for Democracy (CD), Centre for Human Rights and Justice, CPA, Sustainable Initiative for Good Governance and seven others, observed with worry the recent activities of a group of persons embarking on a campaign of calumny against Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar.
The rights groups said the activities of the disgruntled persons clearly reveal an attempt by hook or crook to hold the Commission to ransom for their selfish gains and interests.
The activists say the situation at PenCom is a clear case of corruption fighting back. “These people, whose corrupt past has been brought to the attention of the Director General of PenCom think they can divert attention from their persons to destroy one of the enviable institutions in the country today,” they say in the statement.
They call on President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the coordinated media attacks against Aisha Dahir-Umar, arguing that it was intended to influence him into removing her despite her sterling achievements since her assumption of office in 2017.
Part of the statement reads;
One thing we are 100 per cent sure of is that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the International community are very well aware of the transformational leadership that Mrs Dahir-Umar has brought to the Commission since the assumption of office.
It Is on record that under the leadership of the current Director General, the National Pension Commission has recorded the following unprecedented feat as follows:
1. The exponential growth of pension assets from N6.42 trillion in 2017 when she assumed office to N14.6 trillion as of October 2022 shows an increase of over 100 per cent in Nigeria’s pension assets.
2. Successful recapitalization of the pension industry from N1 billion to N5 billion. A move that has increased investor confidence in the sector.
3. Introduction of the Multi-Fund Structure in the investment of pension fund assets to address the investment appetite and preference of contributors and their age profile.
4. Approving a structured reduction of fees on the Net Asset Value of pension fund assets; and introducing the Micro Pension Plan for the participation of informal sector workers in the Contributory Pension Scheme.
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5. Introduction of mortgage scheme for Retirement Savings Account Holders, the first of its kind that will enable RSA holders to use the balance of their RSA savings for mortgage, among many other brilliant innovations introduced by her.
6. The DG’s reforms led to the approval by Mr President towards the end of last year of the sum of N159.466 billion for the payment of outstanding accrued rights and other pension liabilities of the government’s retirees.
As such, we believe that President Muhammadu Buhari and stakeholders in the pension sector are aware of these giant strides and will not be distracted by the cheap blackmail by a group of persons on account of their dislike for the Principled and determined stance of the DG to her responsibilities.
As such, we the Coalition of Civil Society Groups have resolved as follows;
- Pass a Vote of Confidence on the Director General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar and urge her to carry on with the transformational leadership she has started in PenCom.
- Charge her not to be distracted by naysayers and selfish individuals who are out to stain her clean records at the Commission.
• Assure Nigerians of our resolve to expose these fellows who are out to destroy one of the enviable agencies of government and this we will do in a record time.
• Call on the media and patriotic civil societies not to allow their esteemed platforms to be used by this corrupt individual and their cohorts against the DG and the commission.
- Call on Mr President to ignore the frivolous allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation on the DG, and see those championing the series of attacks against her as mere attention seekers who are out to derail his noble agenda in the pension sector.
- Lastly, we want to reinforce and reiterate that the landmark achievements of Mrs Dahiru Umar are in public glare and have been recognized by labour unions, pensioners, civil society organizations, including the international community.
Thank you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
1 Campaign for Democracy CD.
Comrade Ebun Sowumi
2 Centre for Human Rights and Justice
Comrade Alex Omotehinse
3 CPA
Oluwatobi Johnson
4 Sustainable Initiative for Good Governance
Prince Emmanuel Good news
5 Activists for Good Governance
Comrade Declan Ihehaire
6 Media Rights Concern
Sola Abisogun
7. Lawyers Network for Change
Temisan Isijola Esq
8 . Coalition of Democrats for Good Governance.
Gbenga Ganzallo.
9. Centre for Justice, Lagos.
Aremo Olusegun
10. Civil Coalition for Good Governance
Ahmed Balogun
