The Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Paul Irumheson, announced that the Federal Government has approved the implementation of an electronic verification system for military pensioners.Â
During a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, Mr. Irumheson outlined the commencement of the electronic verification exercise nationwide, which is set to begin on July 1 and run through September 30.
The new system seeks to address issues such as impersonation and to ensure the accuracy of pension records.
“The board has decided to adopt an electronic verification system to mitigate the risks associated with traveling, particularly given the age of many of our pensioners and the high cost of transportation, especially for those residing abroad,”
“This move is intended to reduce the security risks and financial burdens on our retirees,” Irumheson explained.
He recalled that he had previously informed the public about the board’s plan to transition from physical to electronic verification during a press conference on February 15.
The pilot test for this system, conducted from February 15 to March 1, verified 2,000 pensioners, with only 15 failing the process. These initial observations have been used to refine and improve the system.
The Chairman confirmed that the initiative has received the endorsement of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa.
To facilitate a smooth transition, the MPB plans to conduct extensive public awareness campaigns to assist pensioners in navigating the new electronic verification system.
Mr. Irumheson emphasized the importance of participation, warning that pensioners who fail to verify electronically will no longer receive their pensions.
“I hereby declare the Electronic Verification Exercise officially open on a full scale for all our retired pensioners for a period of three months from July 1 to September 30,” he announced.
“We advise all pensioners to actively participate in this exercise. Those who do not take part in the verification will not receive their pensions going forward.”
