Nigeria Police Retirees under Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, have made a passionate appeal to the leadership of the National Assembly to quickly amend the Pension Reform Act, 2004; exempting the Police from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The police retirees led by their leader and legal Adviser, Elder Ofem O. Nbang, stormed the National Assembly on Tuesday armed with placards with inscriptions that narrated their pitiable condition.
They were also armed with written petitions addressed to both the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
In the petition, a copy of which was submitted to the representative of the Chief Seargeant-at-arm, the retired police officers said they have always kicked against the decision to include those of them who have been in service before the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2004 in the Contributory Pension Scheme.
According to the ex-police officers, the decision was entirely that of the then Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotun (rtd) who they accused of roping them in the scheme to actualize his own selfish and personal interest of being the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Police Force(NPF) pensions and other interests.
The group argued further that the law in question was enforced retrospectively and as such against natural justice and cannot be enforceable on them; especially as it did not take into consideration those of them who have been in public service.
“This is against the provision of Section 173(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) because it alters an existing pension scheme( benefit scheme) to the disadvantage of prospective retirees who have been in service long before the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2004.”
The police retirees believed they have been badly short-changed under the new law as it did not take into consideration the reasonable number of years they had served.
They plead that the rationale that qualified the Military and the Department of State Services, DSS, for exemption from the Pension Reform Act; should be extended to the police.
It is the view of the pensioners, that the money paid to them as a lump sum and monthly pension is a “calculated and silent attempt to ensure they die” shortly after retirement.