Paradise News

Tag: General News

  • Fact Check: Airstrike video predates October Hamas attack on Israel

    A video of an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip is being shared on social media in the wake of an Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. 

    “BREAKING: Israeli Air Force is striking terror targets in Gaza,” reads on Oct. 7 Facebook post sharing the video. 

    But this video predates the recent violence by about five months.

    This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

    The footage was first posted online May 13 by The Associated Press. The news outlet’s caption of the video on YouTube says “smoke and sand rising from explosion after Israeli airstrike targeted house in northern Gaza Strip.” 

    The airstrike followed several days of attacks between Israel and Palestinian militants, The Associated Press said.

    We rate claims that this footage shows a response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack False.

     



    Source

  • 6 pitfalls to avoid – Paradise Post

    By Kate Ashford | NerdWallet

    Only 3 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries shop around during open enrollment, according to a 2022 analysis from KFF, a health policy nonprofit — and only 1 in 10 Medicare Advantage enrollees voluntarily switch plans. But a 2020 analysis of Medicare Advantage plan choices by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that more than half of beneficiaries overspent by more than $1,000 due to the plan they selected.

    Medicare open enrollment is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, giving people with Medicare a chance to change plans for the upcoming year. Although potential Medicare Advantage enrollees may be swayed by $0 premiums and extra perks like vision and dental coverage, there are more important features to explore when you’re choosing next year’s coverage.

    Here are some practices to avoid as you shop for Medicare Advantage this fall.

    1. Thinking Medicare Advantage is Medicare

    If you’re considering Medicare Advantage, understand that it’s not the same thing as government-provided Medicare. It offers the same benefits, but Medicare Advantage is run by private health insurance companies and it operates differently.

    “You are essentially taking the Medicare coverage that you’ve been provided by the government and turning that in,” says Melinda Caughill, co-founder and CEO of 65 Incorporated, which offers Medicare guidance.

    You can switch back to Original Medicare during each year’s open enrollment period, but you may not be able to qualify for an affordable Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, plan once you’re past the one-time Medigap open enrollment period. (Medigap helps with certain out-of-pocket costs not covered by Original Medicare.)

    2. Assuming your doctors are in network

    Medicare Advantage plans operate within networks of medical providers, and you usually must see in-network doctors for covered care.

    “A lot of people don’t realize that — especially those $0-premium plans — they tend to have fairly confined networks,” says Emily Gang, CEO of the Medicare Coach, a site that provides Medicare guidance. “You want to double-check that your doctor is actually an approved provider in that network.”

    Ask your providers what insurance they’ll be accepting in 2024, suggests Sarah Murdoch, director of client services for the Medicare Rights Center, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization. It’s easier than trying to check each plan’s network individually.

    3. Not checking your drug coverage

    Like network providers, Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage can also change each year. Your drug plan might cover one of your medications differently in 2024, leaving you with more out-of-pocket costs than you expected.

    “If you take even one brand name medication, your need to compare plans is incredibly high,” Caughill says. No brand names on your list? Shop around if you take five or more medications in general.

    4. Buying for the dental benefits

    Medicare Advantage plans usually include benefits that aren’t part of Original Medicare, such as dental, vision or hearing coverage. These extras may be appealing, but don’t let them steer your plan choice.

    “First of all, it’s health insurance — so how is it going to cover your health care providers and your medications?” says Katy Votava, who holds a doctorate in health economics and nursing and is president and founder of Goodcare, a consulting firm focused on the economics of Medicare. “If you pick [your plan] for a benefit that isn’t health insurance, you’re often picking wrong. And the dental benefit is pretty limited in all these plans — it’s a couple of cleanings and some bite wings.”

    5. Looking at the premium only

    The majority of Medicare Advantage enrollees are in plans with no premium, meaning you pay nothing each month for the plan. “People see that $0 premium and they’re like, ‘Oh, it’s free,’ Gang says. “And it’s not.”

    Research the rest of the plan’s costs before you sign up, including deductibles, copays, coinsurance and the out-of-pocket maximum, which is the most you might have to spend on covered care in a year. In 2023, the out-of-pocket max can be as high as $8,300 for in-network care.

    6. Buying because your friend has it

    People eligible for Medicare are bombarded by information during open enrollment, and it can be overwhelming. “They don’t shop,” Votava says. “They go with name recognition or what their friend has.”

    The better choice: Focus on your own situation and find the plan that meets your needs.

    If you need help, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP, for free Medicare guidance. Just don’t wait until the last minute, because appointments fill up, Votava says. “If you need individual help, you’d better get on the list.”

    This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press. 

     

    The article Shopping for Medicare Advantage: 6 Pitfalls to Avoid originally appeared on NerdWallet.

    Source

  • Court Jails Two For N12.5million Fraud In Maiduguri

    One Suleiman Magaji, a suspected fraudster who had pleaded not guilty to court charges preferred against him by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been sentenced to 8 years imprisonment.

    Magaji was arraigned before Justice Umaru Fadawu of the Borno State High Court on one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation to the tune of N11, 500, 000.00.

    He was arraigned alongside Mohammed Idris over his involvement in the same fraud and charged on a one-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N1,000,000.00.

    During his trial, Magaji had changed his initial “not guilty” plea to “guilty” before he was sentenced.

    The charge against Magaji reads: “That you, Ibrahim Suleiman Magaji, on or about August 2021 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly misappropriated and converted for your own use the aggregate sum of N11,500,000.00, belonging to Umara Bukar under the guise that you will use the said money to purchase and supply 24 tons of Hibiscus flower (Zobo) to him and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 308 and 309 of the Penal Code Law of Borno State (Cap. 102 Vol. 3 of 1994) respectively.”

    On the other hand, Idris had pleaded not guilty to the charge against him. The charge reads: “That you, Mohammad Idris sometime in July, 2019 at Maiduguri Borno State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the aggregate sum of N1, 000,000.00 (One Million Naira) from Nura Bello as purchase price for Mercury chemicals which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee fraud and Other Fraud related Offences Act, 2006.”

    The two convicts began their journey to the Correctional Centre when they fraudulently collected a total sum of N12.5 million from their victims under false pretences.

    When it became obvious to their victims that they had been duped, none of the convicts returned the funds to the victims.

    Magaji was initially tried by EFCC counsels: Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, S.O Saka and F. Muhammad and presented three witnesses and tendered several documents as evidence.

    His counsel, M. Ibrahim, however, prayed the court later to allow the defendant to change his plea.

    Magaji pleaded guilty to the charge and Justice Fadawu thereafter convicted and sentenced him to one year imprisonment without an option of fine. The Judge further ordered the convict to pay the balance of N8m to his victim or serve three years jail term.

    Prosecution counsel, S.K Saka, in the trial of Idris, presented five witnesses and tendered nine documents as evidence. Justice Fadawu, in his judgement, found him guilty, convicted and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment.

    The court further ordered him to pay his victim the sum of N1m and in default, serve an additional three years.

    Source

  • Fact Check: Cotham falsely says NC budget includes ‘largest’ ever income tax cut

    A North Carolina legislator who recently switched political parties is touting what she characterized as her new party’s efforts to deliver historic tax cuts.

    State Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County, a longtime Democrat when she was elected, joined the Republican Party in April. In a Sept. 25 interview with WBT-FM radio, Cotham slammed members of her former party for not supporting the GOP-authored state budget.

    Most Democrats said they opposed the budget partly because they fear it won’t generate enough revenue to fund the needs of a growing state. 

    “Now this budget does cut taxes,” Cotham said. “It’s going to be the largest cut in our personal income tax that we’ve ever seen.”

    Cotham didn’t clarify what time period she was talking about. But it’s clear she was referring to the budget that was enacted this week, which lays out a plan to incrementally lower the income tax rate over the next 10 years. 

    So, should North Carolinians expect an imminent record-setting cut? That wasn’t a claim we saw in press releases about the budget from Republican Senate leader Phil Berger or Republican House Speaker Tim Moore.

    And there could be a reason for that: Although legislative leaders continue to push the income tax rate to new modern-day lows, this budget’s cut of the income tax rate isn’t historically large. The state’s current personal income tax is 4.75%. If the state meets certain revenue benchmarks, the rate would be as low as 2.49% in 2033 — a reduction of 2.26 percentage points. 

    Many North Carolinians saw bigger tax-rate cuts in the previous 10 years. 

    Rates through the years

    From 1989 to 2013, North Carolina’s personal income tax rate ranged from 6% to 8.25%. A person’s rate depended on how much taxable income they reported and how they chose to file: single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, etc. 

    About 52% of taxpayers qualified at 7% in 2013, but some paid a rate as high as 7.75%. That year, Republican legislators launched a plan to cut the personal income tax rate over time. 

    For people on the upper end of the range in 2013, the tax rate has been cut by 3 percentage points to today’s rate — far more than what is planned in the new budget.   

    Now, let’s look at this on a year-over-year basis. In 2014, lawmakers enacted a flat personal income tax rate of 5.8% — a cut of 1.2 percentage points or more for those paying 7% and nearly 2 percentage points for those who paid a 7.75% rate in 2013. 

    That change stands as the largest year-over-year cut in recent history. Under the proposed budget, the biggest year-over-year cut would be half a percentage point. And that’s only if revenue goals are met. 

    For 2024, the state budget sets an income tax rate of 4.5%, a year-over-year cut of 0.25 percentage points. It then implements rates of 4.25% in 2025 and 3.99% in 2026.

    Deeper cuts possible

    The budget allows for deeper cuts to the income tax rate — but not until 2027 and only if the state hits revenue benchmarks set by the budget.

    In the 2027 tax year, the personal income rate is scheduled to be 3.99%, but it can drop to 3.49% if the state generates $33.04 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025-26. The rate can decrease another 0.5 of a percentage point each year thereafter, so long as the state hits those revenue targets.

    North Carolina could lower its income tax rate to 2.49% by 2030 — potentially giving the state the nation’s lowest flat income tax.

    PolitiFact NC reached out to Cotham for comment, but she didn’t respond. Responding on her behalf, Moore’s office referred to the 2030 goal and noted that the budget accelerates tax cuts in the coming years.

    “The budget puts North Carolina on a statutory path for a 2.49% income tax rate, while increasing the speed of previously enacted income tax cuts that will benefit NC families for years to come,” Moore’s office said in an email statement. “Once fully implemented, this will be the most significant tax reduction in state budget history.”

    Our ruling

    Cotham said North Carolina’s state budget includes “the largest cut in our personal income tax that we’ve ever seen.”

    If we look at year-over-year changes in the state’s personal income tax rate, the budget allows for, at most, a drop of half of a  percentage point — and only if revenue goals are met. That falls short of the single-year change from 2013 to 2014, when most North Carolina taxpayers experienced a rate drop of more than 1 percentage point.

    If we look at the budget’s plan for the next 10 years, the rate could drop 2.26 percentage points. That’s less than the 3-point drop some North Carolina taxpayers enjoyed between 2013 and 2023.

    Although the budget may represent a cut, it doesn’t represent the largest, as Cotham claimed. 

    We rate Cotham’s claim False.



    Source

  • Exodus cooling? 817,669 left California last year, a 3% drop – Paradise Post

    California’s relocation gap is shrinking modestly.

    My trusty spreadsheet reviewed 2022 Census Bureau stats on interstate migration and found that California departures shrank vs. 2021, while new residents from other states increased. It’s a small break in the “exodus” pattern that helped create the state’s first population shrinkage in recorded history.

    Here’s the executive summary: Nationally, 5% more Americans made interstate relocations last year vs. 2021. But California exits to other states fell 3% while arrivals grew 10%.

    Let’s get to the details …

    Ex-Californians down

    California lost more residents in 2022 to elsewhere in the US than any other state – 817,669. The state was followed by New York at 545,598, Texas at 494,077, and Florida at 489,905.

    But California’s outflow shrank by 23,396 in a year. Only New York had a bigger drop (25,443) of the 16 states where exits declined. The California outflow drop was just a 3% dip, the 38th-best performance. The biggest dips, percentage-wise, were in Wyoming and Alaska, which both were off 23%.

    Conversely, Texas had the largest increase in outflow at 46,714, then South Carolina at 37,466 and Oregon at 32,366. The largest jumps in exits, percentage-wise, were found in Maine (84%), Utah (38%) and Vermont (34%).

    New Golden Staters up

    California took in 475,803 from other states, trailing only Florida at 738,969, and Texas at 668,338.

    California arrivals grew by 42,401 from 2021, growth topped only by Texas at 76,943, and Florida at 64,229.

    Those California additions equaled 10% growth, No. 15 among the states. Connecticut was No. 1 at 36%, then Minnesota at 25% and Alabama at 20%.

    There were 21 states with fewer arrivals topped by New Jersey, off 20,805, then Maryland, off 20,232, and Colorado, off 20,155. The biggest percentage drops were in Hawaii, off 22%, Vermont, off 18% and Maryland, off 13%.

    The gap shrinks

    When you compare inbound vs. outbound, California had a net migration outflow of 341,866 – the largest gap in the nation. Next came New York (244,137) and Illinois (115,719).

    Meanwhile, Florida had the largest net inflow at 249,064, then Texas at 174,261 and North Carolina at 82,160.

    But California’s relocation gap shrank 65,797 in a year – the biggest improvement among the states. Next was Connecticut (46,542) and Florida (43,901).

    On the flip side, New Jersey’s gap grew by 42,182, the biggest among the states, then Utah (up 40,024) and Maryland (up 39,981).

    Longer-term

    Interstate moves became more popular in the pandemic era with 10% more Americans crossing borders in 2022 vs. the 2015-19 average – years before we knew what a coronavirus was.

    California departures grew 24% in this timeframe, the sixth-largest jump. The top five have a western bent: Oregon at 39%, Washington at 30%, Idaho at 26%, Utah at 25% and Colorado at 24%.

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    Outflows dropped the most, percentage-wise, in Alaska (off 23%), then Mississippi (off 19%) and Connecticut (off 17%).

    At the same time, California arrivals dropped 6% in the pandemic era. The state’s strict business limitations to fight the coronavirus didn’t help.

    Bigger drops were found only in Maryland (off 13%), Utah (off 9%), Oregon (off 8%) and Iowa (off 7%). Connecticut’s 78% arrival growth was No. 1, followed by Florida (28%) and South Carolina (26%).

    Bottom line

    California’s modest relocation gap contraction doesn’t change long-running themes.

    Outs: You may not believe the math, but California has above-average population retention on a national scale.

    Consider that 2.5% of Americans switched states last year. Then note that California’s 2022 outflow equaled 2.1% of its population. Only eight states had a smaller share of its residents leave in 2022 topped by Texas, Michigan and Ohio at 1.7%. And Florida had a 2.3% exit rate.

    Ins: California’s ability to draw new residents as a share of the population ranks dead last. Yes, no other state is more unpopular.

    California arrivals were 1.2% of all residents. The next lowest attraction rate was New York at 1.5%, and Michigan at 1.6%.

    Now I’m not sure what California could learn from the most attractive states, by this yardstick – D.C. at 9.8%, and Alaska and Wyoming at 5%. Maybe the better attractiveness of its main economic rivals might help offer lessons.

      • ECONOMIC NEWS: What’s the big trend? Should I be worried? CLICK HERE!

    Texas arrivals equaled 2.3% of its population, but that’s a sub-par No. 40 ranking. However, Florida’s 3.4% attraction rate was the 19th best in the nation.

    Or look at the California migration issue this way. Imagine if California relocations ran at the national average results for 2022, interstate moves equalling 2.5% of the population.

    The Golden State would have had 146,000 more residents exit last year – and 622,000 additional arrivals.

    Jonathan Lansner is the business columnist for the Southern California News Group. He can be reached at jlansner@scng.com

    Source

  • BBNaija’s llebaye To Pay N12m Tithe From N120m Grand Prize

    Big Brother Naija ‘All-Stars’ winner, Ilebaye Odiniya, has announced her intention to pay a tithe of N12 million to God from the N120 million she won from the reality TV show.

    She made this known on Monday during an interview with Clout Africa’s ‘Getting Personal with Ex BBN All-Stars Housemate’ where she garnered attention and praise from fans and the public alike.

    Ilebaye while responding to questions from fans said, “Well I’m not going to buy anything, the first thing I’m going to do is to give my tithe to God to thank Him for this grace he has given me. It’s a very good grace.”

    She added that she won because she was destined to win this year.

    “I won because I was destined to win this year. This is my time; this is my grace and my fans also added to my winning because they supported me. They loved me, they had sleepless nights voting for me, all day all night Baye tribe. So yes, and God. I played the game and I won.”

    Tithing is a practice deeply rooted in many religious beliefs, where individuals pledge a portion of their earnings, typically one-tenth, to their religious institution or cause.

    Tithing one-tenth of one’s income is found in Leviticus 27:30: “’A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”

    llebaye’s journey to stardom began when she first made an appearance in the ‘Level Up’ season of BBNaija in 202. After weeks of intense competition and public voting, she emerged as the winner of the ‘All Stars’ edition, securing the grand prize of N120 million.

    The ‘GenZ Baddie’ chose to allocate a significant portion of the money won towards tithing.

    Ilebaye’s decision to tithe has sparked reactions among fans, with some commending the reality TV star for her generosity and faith while others have suggested she should take it to Orphanage homes

    Source

  • Fact Check: Moore’s claim seniors are paying “no more than 35 cents” for prescription drugs is off base

    When Republican presidential hopefuls debated in Milwaukee in late August, politicians of all stripes were busy spinning.

    But a claim from U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat who was touting President Joe Biden’s accomplishments, was truly dizzying.

    Moore took the stage in front of a crowded room at No Studios and touted the Biden administration’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. 

    Moore said thanks to negotiation of drug prices, “our seniors, instead of paying $500 a month for drugs, are paying no more than 35 cents.”

    Yes, 35 cents.

    That struck us as preposterously low. That would make prescription drugs cheaper than a foam brush for an art project. And the government has only just begun negotiating for lower prices.

    Let’s take a look. 

    Moore’s office admits to mistake

    We reached Moore’s office to learn where she got that information, and they said she misspoke. Asked what she was referring to, they cited the cost of insulin which, by one report, had been reduced to $35 per month. 

    Moore’s office sent us a summary of a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services showing a list of projected savings by state if the cap had been in place in 2020. 

    According to the department, in 2020, insulin users in Wisconsin would have saved $628 in out-of-pocket costs per enrollee. 

    The $35 cap on insulin went into effect on January 1 for Medicare Part D and July 1 for Medicate Part B.

    In August, the department revealed 10 drugs selected for price negotiations, which will take place this year and in 2024. Any negotiated prices will become effective in 2026. 

    Ideally the negotiations should cause prices to go down for the drugs selected. 

    Our ruling

    Moore’s claim that under the Biden administration prescription drug prices for seniors has fallen to 35 cents.

    When questioned about the claim, Moore’s office said she misspoke and that she meant to cite the price of insulin being capped at $35 under the Inflation Reduction Act. 

    We rate the claim False.

     



    Source

  • 49ers’ Fred Warner has signature game in blowout of Cowboys

    SANTA CLARA — Fred Warner took the podium and let out a satisfied exhale.

    “That ain’t half bad,” Warner said following the 49ers’ 42-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys before a packed house Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium.

    Through four games, the 49ers defense had been good. Sometimes very good. What they hadn’t been yet is great. That box was checked in a big way with the rest of the league and the entire country watching on national television.

    It was Warner, a reigning first-team All-Pro middle linebacker, having his signature performance of the season and one of the best of his career against a Cowboys team that will likely be in the postseason.

    Warner did just about everything a defender can do, recording a sack, an interception, forcing a fumble and leading the 49ers with eight tackles. He defended both run and pass, and as usual, served as the vocal conscience of his unit.

    If there was any question whether Warner was comparable to Patrick Willis, who played at or near a Hall of Fame level from 2007 through 2014, any doubt was erased Sunday night.

    “He’s the best in the world,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa said. “It’s not close.”

    With the 49ers leading 7-0 and the Cowboys backed up to their 5-yard line by a Mitch Wishnowsky punt, Warner stripped the ball from running back Tony Pollard. It laid tantalizingly on the sideline until defensive lineman Kevin Givens could recover it, and set the 49ers up at the Dallas 10.

    And although Christian McCaffrey fumbled the ball back to the Cowboys at the 2, the 49ers defense forced a three-and-out punctuated by a sack of Dak Prescott by — who else? — Warner.

    On the next play, the 49ers dialed up a flea flicker pass which Brock Purdy threw to George Kittle for a 38-yard touchdown, and it was 14-0.

    Warner intercepted a Prescott pass in the fourth quarter and returned it 12 yards to the Dallas 26-yard line, which set up Jordan Mason’s 26-yard exclamation-point touchdown.

    The interception and forced fumble were two of four 49ers’ takeaways — an area in which the 49ers had been lacking even if they were ranked third in total defense coming into the game. They had just five takeaways in their first four games.

    “Yeah, this is just the standard,” cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said. “We’re always looking to get better. We had four turnovers today. Next week we’re looking for five.”

    Dallas, which had counted all three of its wins as blowouts, finished with just 197 yards of total offense and 57 yards rushing. Prescott, who must have nightmares after being tortured by the 49ers defense in the playoffs the last two seasons, was 14-of-24 for 153 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. He was sacked three times.

    It may have been a regular season game as opposed to the playoff losses, but it cut deep with Prescott.

    “This may be the most humbling game I’ve ever been a part of,” Prescott said. “Felt good about the preparation. Felt good about everything, and they beat us in every aspect.”

    Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks conceded during the week the 49ers had to get better at taking the ball away, and told the media as much on Thursday.

    “Our intent is there, I think eventually we’ll get those tips and overthrows, we’ll get those forced fumbles,” Wilks said. “We’ll be there.”

    When the defense met on Saturday night, Wilks told his unit they could still be much better.

    “He said, ‘You guys don’t know how good you truly can be,” Warner said. “We see the talent in this room and what our potential is, but it’s about doing it week and and week out. And to do it in this game, on this stage against a really good team, it really meant a lot.”

    Free safety Tashaun Gipson, who had the first interception of Prescott, acknowledged, “We’ve been in kind of a drought. But we had some pressure, had some sacks, and that’s what great defenses do. You’ve got to take the ball away.”

    A 12-year veteran on his sixth team, Gipson has a frank assessment of Warner in the NFL hierarchy.

    “Best in the business. There’s not a linebacker that’s close,” Gipson said. “I think he deserves to be in the conversation as the best defensive player in the NFL. He’s so invaluable what he can do. He can cover when you need him to, he can blitz when you need him to. He’s vicious in the run game. “

    Gipson took it upon himself to tell Warner he was an “underrated” superstar.

    “He didn’t like it. He took that personal. I was like, ‘Hey, that’s a compliment,’ but Fred, the kind of competitor he is, he went out there and did it on the big stage,” Gipson said. “It’s routine for him. He does it every day at practice.”

    The 49ers are pretty self-motivated, but there had been a lot of talk coming in about how good the Dallas defense was. It could be construed as insulting to the 49ers, who were ranked No. 1 a year ago. Bosa said he hadn’t given it a single thought.

    Warner, however, made it clear he’d heard the chatter.



    Source

  • Impunity Making Employers To Withhold Pension Deductions—PenCom DG

    The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Aisha Dahiru-Umar, has blamed the culture of impunity as one of the major reasons that is making employers to refuse remittances of pension deductions of their employees under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

    She made the disclosure in a book authored by her titled “Fighting for the future: Nigeria’s pension reform journey”

    In the 173-page book, a copy of which was made available to THE WHISTLER, she narrated the turning point in the pension industry, the policy pillars of the industry, the pushbacks she faced when she was acting DG of PenCom and after her confirmation, the media war she contended with, how she managed stakeholders in the pension, success stories of the industry and how she confronted the challenges faced by her administration.

    The Pension Reform Act makes it mandatory for remittances to be made into the Retirement Savings Account of workers under the Contributory Pension Scheme.

    The minimum rate of contribution is 18 per cent of the employee’s monthly emoluments where 10 per cent is contributed by the employer and 8 per cent is contributed by the employee.

    But many employers of labour have been violating the provisions of the law, blaming the current harsh economic condition being experienced in the country.

    Dahir-Umar in her book noted that the infractions are damaging contributors’ confidence and impacting negatively on the pension industry.

    She said the Commission have been taking administrative and legal actions against violators as appropriate, adding that from the inception of the CPS, over N20bn has been recovered from employers who deducted monthly pensions from staff salaries without remitting to their RSAs.

    She said, “We also have to protect contributors from employers who default in pension remittance. This is a big issue. Some employers are in the habit of deducting employees’ contributions without remitting to the PFCs, in addition to failing to remit their own contributions.

    “These are infractions that damage contributors’ confidence and impact negatively on the Pension Industry. On a regular basis, we go on recovery missions, using the legal instruments at our disposal by engaging recovery agents to make the employers fulfil these obligations.

    “We take administrative and legal actions against them as appropriate. From the inception of the CPS, we have recovered over N20bn from employers who deducted monthly pensions from staff salaries without remitting to their RSAs.

    “This sordid practice was double jeopardy for the employee. It is as good as not having a pension at all. Why would you deduct without remitting, much less making your own matching contributions?

    “There are enough laws and measures to deal with this infraction, but some employers are notorious. Some of their excuses would appear genuine on the surface: economic challenges.

    “They paint the picture that the option is to lay off the workers in order to be able to balance the books, but even when the economy was not going through a rough weather, the practice of non-remittance was still common. There was an avalanche of complaints against employers over non-remittance of pension contributions, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) pension payment, other benefits and pension payment under the pension transitional arrangement.

    “Some of the employers are not used to doing things the right way. It is borne out of a culture of impunity. Some business owners and shareholders would first make themselves comfortable before thinking of the future of the employees.”

    The PenCom DG said the Commission has been issuing demand notices to the defaulting employers as provided for under Section 11 of the PRA 2004.

    The section states that. “An employer who fails to deduct or remit the contributions within the time stipulated in subsection (3) (b) of this section shall, in addition to making the remittance already due, be liable to a penalty to be stipulated by the Commission.

    “The penalty referred to in subsection (6) of this section shall not be less than 2 percent of the total contribution that remains unpaid for each month or part of each month the default continues and the amount of the penalty shall be recoverable as a debt owed to the employee’s retirement savings account, as the case may be.”

    Dahir-Umar explained further that the Commission has also engaged recovery agents to establish the outstanding contributions, adding that from inception to 30 June 2023, it has recovered contributions of N12.80bn and imposed penalties of N12bn.

    “Before slamming the hard penalties, we deploy our soft powers which are always effective. We usually wait for the defaulting organisations when they apply for Pension Clearance Certificate (PCC), which is critical to some of them as the certificate is important for other regulatory clearances and their business undertakings.

    “We turn down applications down owing to non-remittance of pension contributions for the appropriate period and/or non-provision of Group Life Insurance policy for their staff,” she added.

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  • Brock Purdy, George Kittle ignite pass game

    SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers (5-0) graded in Sunday night’s 42-10 home win over the Dallas Cowboys (3-2):

    PASS OFFENSE: A

    Brock Purdy (four touchdown passes) and George Kittle (three touchdown catches) set career highs, and their most picturesque connection came on a play called: “Toss 18 Flea Flick.” That football touched the hands of Purdy, Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, then went back to Purdy, who didn’t flinch at an incoming defender and launched a pass from midfield to Kittle for a 38-yard touchdown reception and a 14-0 lead. That play was installed midway through last season (before Purdy ascended to the QB throne), and although it was called amid the carnage of the NFC Championship Game for McCaffrey (after Purdy’s injury), it wasn’t fully executed until this game, after they practiced it Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

    Kittle commended Purdy for how well prepared he is with the 100 passes and 50 runs they must sift through each week, adding: “Brock’s pocket awareness, being able to move and keep his feet in position to make all those throws, he’s a robot. He’s just very special.” As for Kittle’s hat trick, Nick Bosa said: “George finally got his big night that he deserved, which was coming.” Mix in some screens to McCaffrey, some dimes to Brandon Aiyuk, and even a touchdown pass to Kyle Juszyzk and this passing efficiency is at a level not seen in decades.

    RUN OFFENSE: B-

    The Cowboys invited the 49ers to beat them through the air, and Shanahan had to restrain himself from calling too many passes, thus the run game was used to keep Dallas’ defense somewhat honest. Christian McCaffrey owns the outright franchise record by scoring in 14 consecutive games (playoffs included). His 1-yard touchdown plunge highlighted a bruising affair for him (19 carries, 51 yards). He continues to lead NFL rushers in yards (510), carries (99) and touchdowns (seven; tied with Miami’s Raheem Mostert). The second-half blowout allowed McCaffrey to rest for the fourth quarter while Jordan Mason (10 carries, 69 yards; 26-yard touchdown) and Ty Davis-Price (six carries, 21 yards) got in the mix. The biggest concern offensively is whether left guard Aaron Banks will miss extended time with a biceps injury, which forced him out in the third quarter and put in Jon Feliciano.

    PASS DEFENSE: A

    Fred Warner, Tashaun Gipson Sr. and Oren Burks intercepted Dak Prescott on three consecutive series in the second half to clinch the 49ers’ most lopsided win ever over Dallas. The pass rush, even without Friday’s trade acquisition Randy Gregory, came out of the blocks hot to pester Prescott into three sacks by halftime. Bosa and Armstead combined for the first sack, Warner followed with the second, Greenlaw had the third, and Kevin Givens had one on Cooper Rush in the closing minutes. Prescott posted a season-low 51.6 rating (14-of-24, 153 yards) and his touchdown pass floated over Isaiah Oliver at nickel back, a position that seems this team’s weakest. Bosa had four hits on Prescott, Armstead two.

    RUN DEFENSE: A

    As stellar as they were in pass coverage, Warner and Greenlaw are also the maestros of the 49ers’ run defense. “Best in the business. That’s the engine of the defense,” Trent Williams said. “The way those guys fly around, it frees up the defense front.” Dallas’ Tony Pollard ran for a season-low 29 yards (eight carries), and the Cowboys averaged 3 yards per carry (57 yards, 19 carries). One run stop that shouldn’t be overlooked was Javon Hargrave’s third-down tackle for a 1-yard loss, forcing Dallas to settle for a field goal that cut the 49ers lead to 21-10 three minutes after halftime. Other TFLs came from Greenlaw (two), Bosa, Warner, and Givens, who also recovered a fumble Warner forced along the sideline.

    SPECIAL TEAMS: A

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