President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been commended for taking a bold step in relieving Federal Pensioners of economic hardship by taking a bond of N758 Billon [Seven Hunred and Fifty-Eight Billion Naira] to offset all pension arrears and commitments.

Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria made the commendation in a Statement today signed by the National Coordinator of the Group Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim.

The Media Group observed that this latest approach of Mr. President would greatly relieve pensioners of their economic burden upon which they have suffered untold hardship.

It cautioned that this new policy must be well-monitored to prevent any sabotage by some Pension Fund Administrators [PFAs] who have been accused of frustrating some pensioners who enrolled with them.

According to the Muslim Media Watch Group if Nigeria, some Pension Funds’ Administrators have added to the problems confronting the pensioners instead of reducing them by delaying payment of their pensions payment for nearly 2 years after their retirement.

The Islamic Organization said if payment of monthly pensions were delayed for two years after retirement, queried for how long would gratuities be delayed as qll these infractions and inefficiencies have encouraged corruption in the Public Sectors of our Nation’s economy.

The Muslim Media Watch Group therefore called for holistic approach and efficient monitoring process by the Presidency and the National Pension Commission PENCOM in solving pensioners problems once on for all.

On the States and Local Government Pensioners, the Group called on State Governors across the Federation to emulate the Federal Government to clear humongus debts owed States and Local Government pensioners by evolving a sustainable and efficient strategy like that of the Federal Government to clear all arrears of gratuities and pensions owed their public servants.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has been called upon to urgently consider amendment of relevant Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) Laws to henceforth purnish harshly economic crimes being committed in Nigeria.

The National Coordinator of MMWG Alh. Abdullahi Ibrahim made the call in Radio and Television Programme in Ibadan Oyo State while answering questions on curbing corruption in Nigeria on Pensioners FM Radio 106.7 Ibadan.

The Muslim Leader who is also a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria [CIPM] called for the abrogation of ‘Plea Bargaining’ in economic crimes process in Nigeria; adding that instead of curbing corruption, Plea Bargaining is promoting corruption as looters of public funds returns only 25% or 30% of the loots to enjoy their loots and and undeserved freedom gained through the court process because of our weak laws on economic crimes.

He maintained that in such circumstances; economic crimes would continue to increase as we are having it presently.

The Group also criticised the present situation whereby all economic crimes no matter how humongus in Nigeria are bailable pointing out that if China and Singapore punishes serious economic crimes with death sentence, Nigeria cannot fight corruption holistically with all economic crimes being bailable and called for bench-marking of bailable economic crimes while serious ones should be determined with suspects remaining in prisons until their cases are determined.

He charged members of the National Assembly [NASS] to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in fighting corruption to a ‘stand still’ by evolving stern punishments to serve as deterrent to others.