‘Dead man’ fights for NIS pension

 
By Abena Rockcliffe  
After several months of enduring much hassle as he persistently tried to receive his pension from National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Fazil Khan, was then told that he is dead and therefore can’t receive his pension.

Fazil Khan

Khan told Kaieteur News that he paid his NIS contribution up to last September when he turned 60.
Since then he has been checking from time to time only to be greeted each time with the same phrase, “It’s not ready yet.”
Three weeks ago, much to his surprise, Khan was finally told that his pension has been approved and all that was left was for him to collect his book.
However, when he returned to NIS on Friday last to do so, Khan said that he was told that he would no longer be granted his book because he was dead.
Even though Khan presented himself and the relevant documents, an employee at NIS argued that the pensioner was dead.
Khan said that he asked, “How me dead when I standing right here. You telling me you seeing ghost?” He said that he was told that that was being rude.
Eventually he was sent to the Pension officer who asked to inspect his documents. After the inspection, the officer told Khan that she would look into his matter and advised him to return in two weeks.
Khan, however, sought advice and was told that he should follow up the matter closely. Therefore, the supposedly dead man returned to NIS office “bright and early” yesterday morning. This time he was told that he was no longer dead.
Khan who then felt like he had risen from the dead, was told that there was a man who had his identity and that that man is now dead.  Apparently that is where the mix up occurred.
According to Khan, NIS is claiming that the dead Fazil Khan had the same parents as the one who is now fighting for his pension. The deceased Khan also had the same NIS number, the same identification card number and “dem tell me he probably worked the same place.”
Khan told Kaieteur News that he was then told that he now has to wait until NIS can verify his contributions.
He said that he has an ominous feeling that “they gon give all me contribution to dis man who dem claim dead.”
Khan said that he fails to understand how this situation exists when he was self employed since 2010.
“Since 2010 me self employed and I had to pay them NIS every month still. At that time I get put on a different plan and I had to start paying dem more. In that time dem nah see de problem? Only now dem gon wait like Columbus to verify who get wrong and right contribution?”
Khan went on to say that he was listening to the pension officer and what struck him was when she said ‘dead man tells no tale.’
He said, “Is then I realize that is pull I getting pull, cause now de man nah deh round to say nothing dem gon give he everything.”
The pensioner said that he asked to be told when the man with his identity died “but dem nah want tell me, cause I want to ask them if dem did nah see a dead man paying NIS up to last September.”
Khan told Kaieteur News that he no longer works and is depending on his pension to aid in his survival.