By Kolawole Ojebisi
The National Pension Commission has explained why low-earning pensioners are now permitted to withdraw their total retirement savings en bloc or continue to receive their monthly pension.
The commission noted that retirees are free to decide on either of the choices pending the approval of the Minimum Pension Guarantee.
This is contained in a memo signed by the Head of the Surveillance Department of Pencom, A.M Salem.
In the memo, made public on Monday but dated November 27, 2024, the commission said the development followed the new section 4.1 (g) of the revised regulation on the administration of retirement and terminal benefits in line with the new minimum wage of N70,000.
Before this announcement, retirees are only allowed to withdraw one-third of their total RSAs.
The memo which was addressed to pension fund administrators and custodians said, “The commission has noted that President Bola Tinubu had on Monday, 29 July 2024, signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law.
“Accordingly, the new National Minimum Wage Act increased the National Minimum Wage from N30,000.00 to N70,000.00.
“Section 4.1 (g) of the Revised Regulation on the Administration of the Retirement and Terminal Benefits (the Regulation) provides that where the Retirement Savings Account balance cannot provide a monthly/quarterly pension or annuity of at least one-third of the prevailing minimum wage, the retiree shall be allowed to take the entire balance in the RSA en bloc.
“Consequent to the above, Pension Fund Administrators are hereby directed as follows; To apply N70,000.00 being the current National Minimum Wage in processing of retirement benefits in line with the provisions of Section 4.1 (g) of the Regulation.
“Retirees whose monthly/quarterly pensions are less than N23,333.33, representing one-third of the current minimum wage of N70,000.00, be allowed to choose between receiving the outstanding balance in their RSAs en bloc or continuing to receive their current monthly/quarterly pensions pending the commencement of the Minimum Pension Guarantee.”
The memo noted that the requests for payments to retirees who choose to receive the outstanding balance in their RSAs en bloc should be forwarded to the commission with the documents listed below for consideration and approval.
The documents include “A consent form reflecting that the PFA properly enlightened the retiree on the Minimum Pension Guarantee and that he/she chose to receive the outstanding balance in the RSA en bloc.
“A hard copy application letter (not an electronic signature) signed by the retiree to withdraw the outstanding balance in the RSA.
“The payment schedule in the template is attached as Appendix 1. You are therefore required to take all necessary measures to ensure full compliance with this circular. This circular takes immediate effect.”
