Friday, November 9, 2018

PSSSF sets first foot on benefit arrears claims

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PSSSF, Chief, Public Relations and Marketing Eunice Chiume. FILE PHOTO | BT 


By Christian Gaya
News@thebusinesstimes.co.tz : Business Times. Wednesday November 7-13, 2018
The management of Public Service Social Security Fund (PSSSF) has started to settle pension retirement benefit arrears owed to its retired members through the defunct Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF).
According to PSSSF, Chief, Public Relations and Marketing Eunice Chiume, there were a total of...
7,924 retirees who were yet to be paid their pension in lump sum, but were in the interim receiving periodical payments.
She said that, up to date, the PSSSF management has already paid a total Sh738.43 billion to all 7,924 retirees mentioned. She added that this was in the process of implementing the approval by the PSSSF Board of Trustees, that, all pension benefit arrears be settled within 6 months commencing from August 2018.
She revealed that, in August 2018, the Fund paid 896 July 2017 retirees. Out of the number, 755 retirees were under the old age benefit scheme while 141 fell under the survivors benefit category. A total of Sh.65, 381,743,855.48 was used to settle their lump sum pension arrear benefits.
Similarly, she explained that, a total of 5,904 old age retirees were scrutinized and approved by the Treasury for their lump sum pension arrear payments.
She said cheques for 1,123 retirees who were to be paid their lump sum pension arrears worth Sh94, 484,375,322.57 between August and November 2017 their lump sum pension arrear cheques worth of Sh94, 484,375,322.57 was paid to their respective retirees between 5.10.2018 and 08.10.2018.
A further 814 retirees who were scheduled to be paid their lump sum pension benefits in December 2017 are therefore expected to be payable at the end of this October.
About 1,603 pensioners who were supposed to be paid their pension lump sum benefits from January to March 2018, have been scheduled to be paid this month. April and May 2018 retirees are expected to be paid next month.
The remaining 1,372 pensioners are expected to be paid their lump sum pension benefit in January 2019 next year.
She revealed that, the Treasury has advised the remaining 1,292 retirees should be vetted before starting to get their pension lump sum benefits.
These had different reasons for terminations. They include those who were summarily dismissed, left employment for their own reasons, reached the voluntary retirement age of 55 or compulsory retirement age of 60. They also those who possessed fake certificates including those who were involved in the restructuring of the organizational systems.
Pensioners’ payments which have entered into a new PSSSF system effectively starting from 01.08.2018 onwards, their retirement benefits will be continued to be paid as usual, whereby up to date a total of 326 claims have been paid. “Our aim is to ensure that, we continue to pay our pensioners within the time bound that has been specified by the law, until all backlog of claims are cleared, whereby we believe that after the completion of this clearance, our clients will be paid as earlier quickly as possible,” Ms Eunice explained.
She said that, all claims that were opened before the inception of PSSSF and were not paid by the Fund due to the various reasons, have all brought at the PSSSF Head Headquarters in Dodoma, ready for final conclusion and for payment preparation.
These amounts to 3,876, comprising claims regarding maternity benefits, payments under voluntary system, withdrawals and employment termination claims.
The claims have been received at the PSSSF Head Office for verification and for payment to the right claimant and at the right time and place.
On the other hand of the coin, she has said that, three types of electronic systems have already been prepared and installed, and are in the final stage for being ready for upcountry offices usage after head office verification and approval.
“These electronics systems-SSIP have been designed special for storing or keeping Fund’s members data, including staffs salary and Navision Dynamics systems. Other important systems which are already in place are such as staff emails and Fund’s website which no sooner will be on air,” Eunice elaborated.
She said, currently all PSSSF offices have already been opened country wide and their staff have also been reallocated. The main pending task is the connection of those systems, including the transportation of office furniture, working tools and equipment and for branding purpose such as face lifting of the buildings.
All staff from the defunct schemes such as PPF, PSPF, LAPF and GEPF have been reallocated in their respective offices and have been reported in their new work stations ready for providing services.
On the consolidation and closure of accounts of the defunct schemes Eunice said that these had been closed and auditing tasks have already been accomplished.
“Consolidated accounts of the defunct schemes will be the foundation of PSSSF accounts. This special task of consolidating accounts of defunct schemes is finally expected to be completed in December 2018,” she stated.
Adding that, employers are being visited and informed regarding the merging of the defunct schemes and on how to submit their monthly contributions. And new bank accounts for receiving contributions from employers have already been opened in all regions countrywide.

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