The House of Representatives Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Matters has initiated an investigation into the failure of the six area councils to remit pension contributions to the Area Council Staff Pension Board.
During a meeting with relevant agencies, Committee Chairman Hon. Fred Agbedi directed the concerned agency to provide detailed records of pension remittances. He emphasized the need to understand why area councils were defaulting despite salaries being paid monthly.
The Director of the Pension Board, Suleman Abdulrahman, informed the committee that remittances were irregular, with councils sometimes delaying payments for two to three months. By law, pension deductions should be remitted within seven days of salary payments.
The committee also raised concerns about discrepancies in pension fund allocations. Documents showed that while N131.1 million was appropriated for pensioners in 2024, the board received N151.1 million. Abdulrahman attributed this to salary adjustments following changes in the minimum wage.
Agbedi directed the clerk to request updated remittance records from all area councils. He also announced plans for budget oversight of all relevant agencies ahead of the 2025 budget cycle.
