The new Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), Major General Julius Ehioze Osifo, has pledged to prioritise prompt payment of pensions, gratuities, death benefits and outstanding arrears to retired military personnel and families of fallen heroes, promising to make the process easier and faster.
Osifo gave the assurance on Wednesday during the handing and taking-over ceremony at the headquarters of the Military Pensions Board in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, where he assumed leadership as the 26th chairman of the institution since its establishment in 1974.
He said “his administration would leverage modern technology, strengthen collaboration with the Armed Forces and relevant government agencies, and improve internal capacity to ensure beneficiaries receive their entitlements promptly and without unnecessary difficulties”.
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Major General Julius Ehioze Osifo stressed that veterans and families of deceased military personnel deserved dignity, empathy and timely payment of their legitimate benefits, particularly given the sacrifices made by serving personnel in defence of the country.
Drawing from his experience as the pioneer Chief of Staff Officer J8 of Operation Hadin Kai in Maiduguri, Osifo said delays in the payment of death benefits to families of personnel killed in action could diminish the sacrifices of fallen soldiers, dishonour their memories and undermine the morale of troops still serving in combat operations.
He noted that Nigeria’s security challenges, including insurgency and terrorism in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central, violent extremism in the South-East, and militancy and oil theft in the South-South, had increased the deployment of military personnel on operational duties.
According to him, the realities of contemporary military operations make an efficient and responsive pension administration system imperative to support retired personnel and the next-of-kin of those who pay the supreme price.
“My mission statement will be anchored on leading a Board that will prioritise all ways and means to ensure payments are prompt, accessed with seamless ease, less cumbersome, less bureaucratic, but with an overriding commitment to ensuring only the rightful recipients get their due entitlements,” he said.
Osifo assured military veterans and families of deceased personnel that his administration would work to improve service delivery and ensure they had cause to smile.
To achieve this, he identified the deployment of modern technology, proactive identification of beneficiaries in collaboration with the Services, faster processing of entitlements, personnel training and stronger engagement with critical stakeholders as key priorities.
He listed the Defence Headquarters, Service Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, National Assembly Committees on Defence, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Ministry of Finance among the institutions whose cooperation would be essential to achieving the Board’s objectives.
The Chairman also pledged to uphold high ethical and professional standards, promote fairness and equity among personnel, and build a motivated workforce capable of delivering efficient services to military retirees and their families.
He called on officers, soldiers, airmen, sailors and civilian staff of the Board to work collectively towards repositioning the institution, stressing that the success of his administration would depend on teamwork, dedication and commitment to duty.
Osifo expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, for finding him worthy of the appointment, while acknowledging the support of the Chief of Defence.
He also paid tribute to previous chairmen of the Board for laying the foundation for its development, particularly his immediate predecessor, Air Vice Marshal Mikail Abdulraheem, whom he described as a coursemate, brother and friend of 36 years.
In his valedictory remarks, Abdulraheem thanked officers, men and women, as well as civilian staff of the Board, for their cooperation and commitment during his tenure.
He described the achievements recorded under his leadership as collective successes, attributing them to the professionalism, dedication and teamwork of personnel.
He wished Osifo a successful tenure and expressed confidence in the continued commitment of personnel to the institution’s responsibilities.
Major General Osifo, a member of the Nigerian Army’s 42 Regular Course, holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a master’s degree in Economics from the University of Jos and a PhD in Finance. His military career has included appointments in finance, administration, training and diplomatic service.
He previously served as Director-General of the Nigerian Army Finance Corporation before his appointment as chairman of the Military Pensions Board. He also served as Deputy Director of Accounts at the MPB in 2018, giving him prior experience of the institution’s operations.
His research interests include defence budgeting, military operational capacity and the financing of terrorism, with studies informed by his experience in Operation Hadin Kai.
The Military Pensions Board is responsible for administering retirement benefits for retired and discharged Armed Forces personnel, as well as death benefits for the next of kin of military personnel who die in service.
