The removal of the 23 heads of MDA’s and parastatals few days ago has generated a lot of hue and cry and also elicited support from Nigerians who condemned the sack especially the disengagement of Mrs Chinelo Anohu Amazu, the Pencom DG for having repositioned and transformed the hitherto moribund industry from 2.5 trillion to 6.5 trillion fund assets base in less than three years in office.
Due to the prevailing scenarios and outcry greeted by her ouster and the denouncement by stakeholders, pensioners and industry watchers of the enormous achievements of the Pencom DG and how she was kicked out without following due process, a lot of stakeholders and industry watchers have taken to the media to vent their anger across the length and breadth of Nigeria condemning in strong terms the sack abruptly ending the good governance practice at Pencom.
After monitoring the television interview granted by the SSA on Prosecution to Mr. President, Okoi Obla and Barr. Joshua Enweliku, a legal practitioner on Sunrise programme on Channels Television on Monday, it appears that Mr Obla is unaware of the circumstances at Pencom and should do his research.
In a press release signed by Obong Emma Okon, National Coordinator, Conscience of Nigerian Pensioners (CNP), he endorsed and gave a pass mark/vote of confidence on the former DG for her gigantic remarkable achievements in revamping the pension industry and paying pensioners as at when due but warned against fifth columnists who are peddling falsehood.
He added that the former DG brought development to the industry and also boost investors’ confidence including being a source of inspiration to the youths of Nigeria for her hard work and forthrightness, having condemned the way she was removed contrary to the laid down rules and ethics\acts as stipulated in the Pencom Reform Act of 2014 of disengaging the DG and Commissioners.
That the story being peddled in the media are not the true facts but tissues of lies designed to tarnish the hard earned reputation and achievements of the proactive DG and therefore stated as follows: “The former DG Mrs Chinelo Anohu Amazu did not refuse to leave office but only heard about her removal in the social media without a letter issued to her or written. That she is happy serving her fatherland meritoriously all these years and will be happy to serve in higher capacity if the need arises. According to the release that a letter of disengagement signed by Dr. Habiba Lawal on behalf of the SGF that arrived at about 5.45pm on Friday 21st April, 2017, instructing her to handover to the most senior officer in the Commission which she immediately did and sent on Monday 24th April, 2017, to Mrs Aisha Mustapha who happens to be the most senior officer and whom has since resumed duties and taken charge of the Commission’’.
Our source said that immediately she heard of the announcement in the evening of 13th April , 2017, she sent the company’s secretary/legal adviser to the SGF’s office to collect the letter of disengagement but was informed the letter was not ready. Prior to that, she called her senior management staff to inform them of her removal and also inform them that they should prepare their handover notes and that she was still awaiting her letter to know who she was to handover to. That ordinarily if the letter didn’t come before the announcement on social media, that the letter would have come on the next working day because the DG cannot vacate such a sensitive office not because of her personal interest but in the interest of government and continuity. That why she was still going to the office was to follow due process and rule of law, so as not to leave a vacuum as certain people might take advantage to perpetrate acts against the organization.
According to our source, that the presence of the DSS at Pencom is not because of the removal of the DG, but they are there to protect the organization, maintain law and order and also prevent any acts of lawlessness that will affect the company negatively and that the DG is someone who has carved a niche for herself.
Investigations reaching us are that the “former DG was full of gratitude to Mr President for having served all these years meritoriously at the commission, right from the inception of drafting of the act, becoming the company’s legal adviser before being made the Director General’’. That she was grateful to ‘Mr President for the enormous love, support, encouragement and fatherly figure showed her and even went further to praise him for his patriotic interest in the plight of pensioners and therefore asked the staff to support and join hands with the incoming management to move the industry forward.’
The National Coordinator however thanked Mr President for ensuring that pensioners are paid as at when due and commended the former DG for her sacrifice and reforms at Pencom and wishes her well in her future endeavours and called on Nigerians to join hands with the present administration to move the nation forward.
