Pensions Fund: Bring the culprits to book – Obaji

[MrVan]

Lagos – A former Minister of Education, Mrs Chinwe Obaji, on Tuesday hailed the probe of the management of pensions fund, describing it as a step toward national and democratic development.

In a telephone interview in Lagos, Obaji, however, urged that the outcome of the probe should not be swept under the carpet.

The Senate is conducting a public hearing on the management of the pension scheme.

A probe committee set up by the legislature has uncovered N151 billion fraud and traced six million dollars illegally domiciled at a bank in the UK.

"The National Assembly is doing a good job in the ongoing public hearing on the management of pension scheme.

" We heard a lot about the uncovering of breathtaking sums of pensioners' money, but their commitment and doggedness to see it through to a logical conclusion is what we are anxious about.

"Nigerians are getting wiser by the day; so, the consciousness of the citizenry is widely awakened; it is no more going to be business as usual," she said.

She said that the misuse of the fund was barbaric, criminal and immoral, adding that it was a great disservice to retired workers.

"It is critical for the Senate to ensure that it retrieves every kobo that has to do with the fraud and apply it appropriately.

"Many pensioners have died without getting this money. Some of them laid down their lives for the progress of this country," she noted.

Obaji said that Nigerians were anxiously waiting to see the outcome of the probe on the management of petrol subsidy by the House of Representatives.

She called for investigation of all institutions suspected to be perpetrating corruption. (NAN)

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