Pensioners in Abu Dhabi to get faster and more efficient service

Abu Dhabi: Pensioners in Abu Dhabi will receive faster and more efficient services as a result of a progressive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Wednesday.

The MoU was initiated by the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund and signed by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior and Commander of Abu Dhabi Police, and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund.

Both government entities agreed this was a positive step forward for pensioners and for cross-Government collaboration. They hoped it would be the first stage in a close and on-going relationship, which will see a significant improvement in services to the people of Abu Dhabi.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "The MoU's aim is to develop and facilitate procedures to increase performance and improve services for pensioners. Two key elements are reducing the time it takes to process payments and minimising the costs involved."

"It also aims to improve the protection of confidentiality and privacy of information and documents, especially when information is shared via the internet and other media."

Shared database

Both entities shall interchange information and documents from each other's database concerning the services provided to pensioners and any modifications that may be introduced.

This includes the collection of all the details of pensioners and archived documents, to avoid having to ask pensioners individually for details and documents.

Each year pensioners have to declare information about themselves as part of their annual declaration. Without this declaration the Fund is obliged by law to halt their pensions. This MoU and increased access to pensioners' information will help the Fund to track those who do not declare and ensure the Fund continues to deliver its payments.

Each entity shall offer its experience to the other to build cross-entity working teams capable of supporting shared goals, notably dealing with society and community as a whole.

Getting e-ready

Under the terms of the MOU, the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions & Benefits Fund and Abu Dhabi Police shall both cooperate to achieve the required level of electronic readiness.

The two parties shall construct a mutual work plan for the evaluation of the interaction on semi-annual basis.