Retired Police officers demand end to contributory pension scheme, says they’re treated like slaves

Retired Police officers demand end to contributory pension scheme, says they’re treated like slaves

Nearly 300 retired police personnel from Nigeria’s South-South region have leveled serious accusations against police authorities, alleging that they have been treated like “slaves” and systematically robbed of their rightful pension entitlements.

The explosive claims were made during a tense session in Calabar with the Director General of the Pension Commission (PENCOM), Omolola Oloworaran, who was sent by President Bola Tinubu to address their grievances.

The 280 retired officers from all six states in the region converged to voice their frustrations and demand a fundamental change to their pension plan.

During the meeting, the retirees vehemently called for an immediate withdrawal from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and a transition to the old Defined Benefit Scheme. T

hey argued that the CPS has left them with meager earnings, with many receiving as little as ₦18,000 or ₦20,000 per month.

The retired officers pointed fingers at senior police officers, both active and retired, accusing them of being responsible for the non-implementation of their correct dues.

They highlighted a stark disparity in earnings when compared to their counterparts in the military and the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to them, retired military personnel of the same rank receive as much as ₦400,000 or more, an amount they believe reflects a fair and just pension.

The group is resolute in its demand for a review of their pension structure, insisting that the current system is unjust and has left them in financial hardship after decades of service to the nation.

The National Legal Officer of Police Retirees Association, Ofem Mbang, who spoke on their behalf “There is no amount of improvement under CPS that will come that will satisfy us. We don’t want palliative because it comes and goes.

“We want a permanent structure which is pexit from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and the establishment of the Police Pension Board.

“A military man, a WO1, which is an equivalent of an Inspector in the police goes home with about N200,b000 but and Inspector goes home with about N18,000 to N19,000.

“A retired DSP gets N35,000 to N40,000. A retired Commissioner of Police, an equivalent of Major General in the army goes home with N70,000 while a retired Major General gets about N800,00. This is fraud and a shame to the government.”

The pensioners insisted that they want a police pension board to manage their pension and gratuity just as the military has their own board – where salaries and interests are paid directly by the federal government, not a private firm.

“I’ve never seen all over the world where security agency pensions are managed by a private limited company. MPF pension Ltd are all eating our money. Theie licence should’ve revoked.”

“We want Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) to be managed by the Police Pension Board (PPB).”

Addressing their concerns, the director general of PENCOM, Ms Omolola Oluworaran assured that the entire processes of payments of pensions and gratuities are going to be reformed.

“We are working to reform the current pension scheme so as to have the best for the police officers.

“I won’t be able to give details presently. But I have made proposals which are subject to amendments and approvals.

“So I’m not comfortable discussing those proposals with the press but what I can say is that the police is fighting for a righteous cause and the Commission under my leadership will try and see how we can ensure that the cause of the police, the cause they are fighting for, is fulfilled”

Oloworara admitted that the treatment received so far was embarrassing but stressed that while the outcome of her proposals might not entirely meet expectations, she had the mandate and assurance of President Bola Tinubu that their concerns would receive swift and favorable attention.

She appealed for calm and urged them to exercise patience for two more months, adding that President Tinubu had promised to clear all outstanding debts owed to retired police personnel.