Retired Police Officers, under the aegis of Association of Retired Police Officers, have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgency assent to the police pension bills passed by the immediate past 9th Assembly.
The Police retirees had fought hard to ensure passage of a bill to establish police pension scheme and another bill to exit police from the contributory pension scheme and both bills were passed in the twilight of the 9th National Assembly.
The 9th Senate had before leaving office in June proposed the payment of 75% to retirees as lump sum upon attainment of retirement age, a decision made while considering the bill seeking to bring respite to the distressed Police retirees.
The Association of Retired Police Officers, Kaduna state chapter, held Christians and Muslims prayer sessions at the Police Officers Mess in Kaduna on Tuesday where they prayed for progress of the country and it’s leaders and thanked Almighty God for granting their request.
Thereafter they addressed a press conference to appeal to President Bola Tinubu to assent to the bills to remove them from poverty and enable them benefit the fruit of their labour before they die.
Chairman Association of Retired Police Officers Kaduna state chapter, CSP Manir Lawal, (rtd) said they called for the new bills because their tenure in the contributory pension scheme is not rosy and fraught with lots of challenges which have pauperised them and entrenched them into poverty.
Lawal said hope was rekindled for most of their colleagues who were ill upon hearing that the bills have been passed by Senate and they are waiting for the approval of Mr. President so they can get their money and take proper care of themselves and their families.
The chairman further disclosed that the contributory scheme has done more harm to them than good, adding that the association has recorded not fewer than 500 deaths from 2007 till date due to the economic hardship posed on them by the contributory pension scheme.
He said they have hope in the Tinubu’s administration, following some critical steps the new government has taken barely one month in office.
He urged the President not to listen to the pension operators or any other advice from external forces, noting that as a former two term governor and lawmaker, and now President, Tinubu understands the plights of people on such condition and so they will continue to pray for him to succeed as Nigeria’s 16th President.