BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has assured protesting retired police officers that their long-standing push to exit the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) was close to being resolved.
His assurance came just hours after dozens of retired officers staged yet another protest at the Assembly complex, accusing senators of stalling concurrence with the House of Representatives, which had already passed a bill removing police personnel from the scheme.
Receiving leaders of the retirees in his office, Akpabio said the Senate would immediately move to align with the House to “deliver justice long overdue.”
“The policy, from what you have told us, was not well thought out. But you should know that the issue, as far as the law is concerned, is over,” he said, urging protesters to disperse from the Assembly gate.
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“On Tuesday next week, we will concur with what the House has done and produce an Act exiting you from the scheme. I know President Bola Tinubu, being a listening President, will sign it. The scheme is certainly not good for security personnel.”
Akpabio questioned why the police had been left under the CPS when the military and elite security agencies had long exited it. “You all fought insecurity together. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. We will ensure the scheme is the same from the IG to the last constable,” he said.
He also faulted the adoption of CPS without considering their local consequences. “Sometimes our country copies policies without thinking through the implications. If that had been done, many of you wouldn’t have died. We always compare apples with oranges.”
Earlier, the leader of the retirees, Chief Superintendent Mannir Zaria, thanked Akpabio for granting audience and expressed optimism that the Senate would now move quickly to address their concerns. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele also praised Akpabio for his prompt intervention.
