The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Aliyu Ismaila has announced that the Annual Verification Exercise for ex-service men has been scheduled to commence from the sixth to the twentieth of October, 2015.

Ismaila who was represented by the Director Joint Services Department, David Gende made the announcement at a Military Pension Stakeholders Interactive Session organized by the Military Pensions Board in Abuja.

He said the exercise is crucial in assisting the Board to determine the number of eligible military pensioners. He noted that the exercise which is supposed to be an annual exercise has not been conducted for the past three years.

He decried the communication gap that existed between pensioners and the pension administration, resulting in complaints and agitations by pensioners. He stated that the present administration has taken measures to respond to series of agitations.

Ismaila said the recent commencement of thirty-three percent quarterly payment of pension increment arrears is one of such efforts demonstrated by the government in solving retirees’ welfare needs.