This follows President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's approval of emergency welfare measures for DBS retirees. The measures were approved based on a formal request by PTAD's Executive Secretary for special budgetary allocation.
The reforms include a fixed ₦32,000 pension increase for all DBS pensioners, percentage raises for retirees of defunct and privatized agencies, pension harmonization across board, enrollment of pensioners into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and settlement of long-standing unfunded liabilities.
The Ministry of Finance has already released ₦820.188 billion from the ₦845 billion emergency fund, paving the way for immediate disbursement. PTAD appreciates the Federal Government's commitment to safeguarding the welfare of DBS pensioners.
The DBS scheme covers public servants who retired before the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme in 2004. Many of them had endured years of delayed harmonization, irregular payments, and limited healthcare – issues this reform aims to resolve.
With this increment, pensioners nationwide are expected to enjoy a significant boost in welfare and healthcare access, a move seen as a long-awaited victory for senior citizens who gave their years of service to the nation.