By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Association of Retired Police Officers, Kaduna State Chapter has called on the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to fullfil his promise by exiting them from the contributory pension scheme.
The Chairman of the Chapter, CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria (Rtd) made the call in a statement after his meeting with members and made available to journalists in Kaduna.
It would be recalled that, last December, the Association of the Nigeria Police Retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme, Kaduna State Chapter Branch, carried out a peaceful protest to the National Assembly Complex, during the Protest, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio addressed the members through Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Ahmed Abdulmumini Malamadori.
The Senate President said once they are through with budget defence, he pledged to invite the Inspector General of Police with a view of removing the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
“But since then, the association didn’t hear any positive response from the members of the National Assembly, as since the Senate has already passed the bill to establish the Nigeria Police Pension Board, what is pending is to harmonise the two bills, with the one already passed by the House of Representatives to exit the Nigeria Police from the contributory pension”.
”That, is why we are reminding the Senate President Godswill Akpabio about the promise he made, this becomes necessary because our living conditions are deteriorating everyday due to the constant increase of commodity prices.
“Our children have been withdrawn from schools, ranging from primary to tertiary institutions, we can no longer afford our medical expenses and that of our families, we can no longer afford normal feeding, sequel to all these, most of us have developed a high blood pressure to crown it all many of our members are dying day by day.
“Therefore, we are appealing to our members of the National Assembly to come to our aid by immediately removing us from the killer contributory pension scheme, before we all perish”.
CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria (Rtd) appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgency, order the Director General Pencom to immediately release their 2.5 per cent differential into their salary savings account, which has since been approved by the Federal Government.
” The payment of our salary increase, which they missed three times consecutively, as well as the payment of the Federal Government approved palliatives”.
“We are appealing to the members of the National Assembly as well as the President to consider our 35 years of meritorious service to the nation, seeing the obstacles and risks that we have escaped while in service.
“But now instead of us to enjoy our pension and gratuity, we are left to suffer under the killer contributory pension scheme that is killing us day by day.
” It is only within the police circle that we have three category of pension scheme as follows:-
“Those who retired prior to 2006, all their ranks were included under Define Benefit Scheme and those retired from 2007 to present included only the ranks of police constable to the Commissioner of Police, this category are under the killer Contributory Pension Scheme.
“Lastly, those retired with the ranks of AIG, DIG,and IGP, from 2007 to present, they retire with their salaries as their pension, constitutionally Super Define Benefit Scheme.
“Why all these in the police circle? we are not praying to carry out any peaceful protest again but if it becomes necessary Iam sure other states and the national body would join the next peaceful protest”.
