Andy Essiet, Calabar
Efforts by the police to be exempted from the contributory pension scheme has suffered a set back as the federal government has issued a letter to the Inspector General of Police to stay action .
This letter is seen as an affront to current process by the National Assembly to pass a bill on the matter and at the same time kill completely the current low moral of serving police men and even aggravate the suffering of the police retirees.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Boss Mustapha had in a letter dated July 21, 2022 to the Inspector General of Police and leaked to some newsmen in Calabar said, “I write to acknowledge the persistent by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to be exempted from the contributory Pension Scheme, under the Pension Reform Act, 2014, and the several reasons canvased to support this request”.
Thus in an effort to frustrate the NPF from getting a separate scheme, the SGF said, “while not being oblivious to the various concerns raised, I refer to the previous position of the then President, conveyed in SGF’s letter Ref. 59149/5.1/C/11/255 dated 20th July, 2012 for the Nigerian Police Force to continue to be covered under the contributory Pension Scheme and to further inform you that the directive has not change”.
This he said, “is in consonance with the federal government white paper on the report of the presidential committee on restricting and rationalization of federal government parastatals, commissions and agencies when the federal government approved the recommendation that the only military be allowed to opt out of the Contributory Pension Scheme”.
The federal government had in 2012 in a similar letter through the then SGF Mr. Anyim Pius Anyim to the IGP said, “Mr. President has approve that the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force should continue to be covered under the contributory Pension Scheme established by the Pension Reform act 2004. However, it is noteworthy that provision is also being made for the Police to administer its own pension”.
The letter by current SGF is seen as a deliberate effort to frustrate the process by the National Assembly to get a bill for a separate pension scheme for the police as sources in the Cross River Pension Retirees said “the bill sponsored by Hon. Francis Waive to exit N.P.F from contribution scheme has scaled through committee stage and awaiting third reading in the House of Representatives”.
In the senate, the former sources said, “the bill also sponsored by Senator Elisha Abor has scaled through 1st and 2nd reading and the committee is expected to invite memo at public hearing and if the current action by the federal government impacts negatively on retired police officers who had expected rewarding retirement after servicing their country for 35 years.
“It kills the moral of serving members who had looked up to this exist as a moral booster and hope after serving. Certainly it will further affect the already insecure situation of the country”.
Commenting, “the Chairman Cross River State Chapter of Police Retirees under the contributory Pensions Scheme and the National Coordinator, Mr. Christopher Effiong said, “I am not aware of any letter from the office of the SGF trying to frustrate our efforts in the National Assembly. If there is such letter, it is rather very unfortunate and we will react accordingly.
“We however request the National Assembly which owes it a constitutional duty to make new laws and amend the obnoxious ones made in error, to go ahead and deal with the bills to exit NPF from the Pension Scheme and the bill to establish Police Pension Board”.
They have failed in their services to this great country thats why they will want to continue to amass police pension monies now in trillions . Their time is almost over all they have fed on in PENCOM will be exposed after now . The prisons will feed on their fat human bodies because of those who cried and died as result of the stealing in PENCOM. How can a government be happy in this type of act after serving this country for 35 years ?
It’s unfortunate that people suffering day and night, come rain and shine towards ensuring absolute security and safety of citizens are subjected into hardship and perpetual suffering after serving for 35 years. Nigeria Police are not been treated well when it comes to remuneration and welfare. Despite the killings of police officers on darling basis, their families are left to suffer with little or no compensation. Death benefits and other benefits accrued to injured officers are hardly paid, some times not paid at all. It’s quiet unfortunate. What’s the rationale behind removing the Amry and DSS from the contributory pension scheme and insisted that police must not be exempted. This is highly demoralizing. Hardly you see a police officer feeding well not to talk of giving good education to their children during and after retirement. Some times police management contribute to the plight of her personnels. Example is the police cooperative society. The activities of this group had left me with a question”is police cooperative society a fraud”?. The purpose of every cooperative society is to help alleviate the members problems, but reverse is the case in Nigeria Police Cooperative. Voluntary contributors are entitle to draw whatsoever they contributed from their voluntary contributory account, but the cooperative management decided to make it difficult for officers to make withdrawal. I am a leaving victim. I place a withdrawal of #350000 from my voluntary contributory account since February, 2022.up till this moment, the money has not been released to me. The response I got from police cooperative website was that I can withdraw only #20,000 out of over #400,000 I have in my voluntary account. Is this not fraudulent act? Money I saved to help my family despite the poor condition police personnels are subjected into. I am making this comment/report as SOS, if possible let this unacceptable practice of the Nigeria Police Cooperative society be made known to IGP and other relevant authorities such as International Cooperative Alliance (I.C.A) to help ameliorate the sufferings police officers are pass5 through in making withdrawal from their voluntary contributory account. In time past, officers travels to Lagos from various States to make withdrawal, recently the cooperative management decided to deviced means which enables officers to make withdrawal via internet, but it’s not working, how can somebody apply for withdrawal over six months without any sign or hope to see the money. What then do we benefit from the Nigeria Police Cooperative society?. One will apply for loan and wait till infinity without approval. This is highly condemnable and cannot continue with the trendings of 21st century. I therefore call on the Nigeria Police Management, Federal Government and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) to come to the aid of Nigeria Police officers.
Mr. Boss mustapha SGF. should go and buy an enrollment form and join ✋ the NPF. to work and retired after 35 years and nothing to write home about. Infact everything shouldn’t be politics the military and the police are serving the same federal government, with the same working conditions. Why should the federal government neglect the almighty Nigerian police? Forgotten that history will surely come to pass. For how long will Nigeria leaders know what to do and doing it well with out bribery or negative politics? A time shall come our leaders must account for their actions, everything is not gathering money for your family alone,but the public must ask questions. Nigeria must be great again! We’re understanding the SGF more than he understands himself. A time shall come. The funniest thing is that the SGF and his cabal are all using police guards, and imagine they don’t like police. No problem!