By Solomon OKPO
Retired police officers across the country have renewed their appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to promptly assent to the Nigeria Police Force Pension Board Bill, describing it as a long-overdue intervention to end years of hardship and systemic neglect faced by retired personnel.
The bill, which has been passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to the President for assent, seeks to establish a dedicated Nigeria Police Force Pension Board. Its core objective is to ensure the timely and adequate payment of pensions and other retirement benefits to former police officers, many of whom have decried the current Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) as unjust and impoverishing.
The appeal follows sustained protests by retired officers who argue that the CPS has failed security personnel, leaving them financially vulnerable after decades of service to the nation. During one such protest, Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio openly aligned with their concerns, describing the CPS as unsuitable for security personnel and pledging to fast-track the bill through the National Assembly.
Akpabio’s promise, the retirees noted, was fulfilled as the bill was expedited, debated, and passed by both chambers of the legislature. With legislative action concluded, the proposed law now awaits presidential assent to take effect.
Under the bill, retired police officers are expected to receive not less than 85 per cent of their total emoluments as pension, a provision stakeholders say would restore dignity, financial stability, and hope to thousands of retirees who have sacrificed their productive years in service to national security.
The retired officers commended President Tinubu’s widely stated commitment to good governance and welfare-oriented reforms, expressing confidence that he would align with the spirit and intent of the bill. They argued that signing it into law would not only correct a long-standing injustice but also strengthen morale within the security sector.
They urged the President to act decisively, stressing that assent to the bill would cement his legacy as a leader who prioritises fairness, honours service, and upholds the welfare of Nigerians who have served the nation with distinction.
