A group of retired senior police officers has set Monday, April 13, as the date for a big peaceful protest at the Presidential Villa. They want the police to leave the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
They said the protest would go on until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signs measures that would allow them to leave the program. The Nation reported that they were doing this under the direction of the Association of Retired Police Officers under CPS.
Last month, the National Assembly sent the Bill to the police to get them out of the controversial program. This happened after years of complaints from retirees who said they were poor because of the CPS after decades of devoted service to the country.
Last year, the protests by pensioners in several states reached a peak. They got a lot of attention from the media and compelled lawmakers to start the process of getting the police out of the CPS, which other security services had already done.
The House of Representatives passed the Bill for an Independent Police Pension in October, and the Senate did the same in December. However, it wasn’t until March 16 that the President received the harmonized Bill for approval.
The pensioners, who had promised to peacefully protest in Abuja until the Bill was signed, were told they needed more time. Now they say they have run out of patience.
There is still a lot of pressure for the CPS to leave on social media and in police communities. Many people think that staying in the program is demoralizing. You won’t discover any news about the police; retirees aren’t begging to leave the CPS in the comments.
The organization dubbed the protest a “decisive step” after years of suffering under the CPS, even though they said they had been faithful to the country for decades. The message was signed by retired DSP Iliayasu Aliyu of the Nasarawa State Chapter.
“This is more than simply a protest; it’s a call for justice. We served this country with dedication, bravery, and sacrifice for many years. “Today, in retirement, many of us are still struggling with a system that doesn’t reflect the sacrifices we made,” it stated.
The organizers say that pensioners from all over the country will gather at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on the specified date to make a peaceful but robust stand for their rights, dignity, and future.
They urged that participants should get other retirees in their states involved, spread the word, and make sure there is a significant presence at the protest site.
“We won’t leave until Mr. President hears us and agrees to our Bills. There is no turning back. The statement went on to say, “No surrender.”
The retirees also asked their coworkers around the country to observe and distribute messages about mobilization and let other cops who would be affected know about the demonstration ahead of time.
The scheduled demonstration comes after the retirees met with government bodies such the National Assembly, the Inspector-General of Police, and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM). They said these meetings did not address their concerns about the pension scheme.
President Tinubu had earlier ordered the quick start of a program that gives low-income pensioners free access to healthcare under the CPS. He also told PENCOM to deal with long-standing problems with police pensions, saying that officers who served the country deserve respect in retirement.
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