After weeks of daily protests at the gate of the National Assembly, the Senate assured police retirees on Thursday that they would be removed from the country’s Contributory Pension Scheme.
The retirees, most of them who are advanced in age, have been blocking and sleeping by the first gate of the National Assembly for weeks over the issue.
The Federal Government, soon after the commencement of the implementation of the scheme, removed the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies from it.
However, a move by the Nigeria Police Force to exit the scheme always met a brick wall at the National Assembly, with the bill failing.
As a result, police retirees have remained stuck in the scheme, which they say is not as rewarding as the old pension system, which the other security arms had long reverted to.
On Thursday, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, granted an audience to the retirees, where he assured them that the matter would be addressed once and for all.
Akpabio gave the promise while receiving in courtesy the leadership of the retired police officers in his office on Thursday, according to Special Assistant on Media, Mr Jackson Udom.
Akpabio told them, “The policy, from what you have told us, was not well thought-out. But take it that you have to disperse from the gate, that problem, as far as the law is concerned, is over.
“On Tuesday next week, we will concur with what the House of Representatives have done and produce an Act exiting you from the Scheme. I know that President Bola Tinubu, being a listening President, would sign it into law. The Scheme is certainly not good for the security personnel.
“If the Military, DSS, NIA and others had exited, I see no reason why the Police should remain while those in the echelon of the service are out of it. You all fought insecurity together. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
“We will ensure that the Scheme is the same from the IG to the last Constable.
“Sometimes our country is fantastic in copying policies and not thinking out the implications if implemented, and if that was done, many of you wouldn’t have died. We always compare oranges with apples.”
Mannir Lawal Zaria, a retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), who led the delegation to Akpabio, thanked him for granting them access to see him in his office, adding that they were upbeat that their problems would be looked into with dispatch.
