The Senate on Thursday moved to end the huge gap between police officers’ pension and the pension of officers in other military formations in the country. The Upper Chamber at plenary disclosed that the disparity is such that while Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) earns a pension of N2.5million, and N1.5million respectively, same ranks in the Army, Navy, Air Force and the DSS are paid N12.8million, and N10.3million respectively......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Sponsoring the legislation titled : “Police Pension Board (Establishment) Bill,” Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe (PDP Adamawa South), stated “The Nigerian Police Force is the principal law enforcement and lead security agency in Nigeria designated by the 1999 Constitution as the National Police of Nigeria, the NPF has jurisdiction throughout the country.
He observed that the Bill when it becomes law would create for the police a pension outfit similar to that of the military.
According to him, such outfit would be “A pension is a fund into which a sum of money is added during an employee’s
employment years and from which payments are drawn to support the person’s retirement from work in the form of periodic payments.”
The Bill explained that “the current pension arrangement of the Nigeria Police is under the Pension Commission by virtue of Section 5 (1) of the Pension Reform Act of 2014.
“Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, I wish to clearly state that the Nigeria Police even though it is the principal and premier law enforcement and security agency in Nigeria the NPF is left under the Contributory Pension Scheme Managed by the Pension Commission unlike her counterpart in the Army, Navy, Airforce, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), who have since excised out of PENCOM by law to establish their own Pension Board.
“The resultant inclusion and continuous stay of the NPF in PENCOM has placed them on the wrong end of the post service emolument life even though the Nigeria Police is saddled with the responsibility of not only protecting the lives and property of the citizenry but also detecting crimes, preventing crimes, investigating crimes and prosecuting offenses.
“A cursory look at the difference between the pension and gratuity benefits of the Nigeria Police and her counterpart in the Military shows for example the benefit of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) under the current Pension Scheme is N2.5Million and that of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) is N1.5Million while the equivalents of DSP in the Army (Captain), Navy (Lieutenant), Air Force (Flight Lieutenant) and the DSS (Captain) are paid N12.8Million and 10.3million respectively.
“This means Your Excellency the President of the Senate, my Distinguished Colleagues, the Nigerian Police Force is receiving the equivalent of 19.5% Pension benefit of their colleagues in the Sister Agencies.
“The broad objective of this bill is to bring equality, equity and justice in the payment of pensions between the Police and her sister agencies while boosting the morale of the serving personnel and equally to enhance the standard of living of the retired personnel of the Nigerian Police Force.
“In line with Order 76(3) of the Senate Standing Order 2022 as amended. The financial implications of the Bill is hereby attached.
“This will cover land acquisition, construction of a befitting Police Pension Office, equipment and software development for the Police Pension Board.
“Therefore, Mr. President and my Distinguished Colleagues, it is my prayer and ardent call that you consider the plight of the Nigeria Police who are desirous of living a quality life after serving the country through enhanced post service emolument by supporting this bill.”
Most Senators who contributed to debate urged the Senate to fast track its consideration and passage.
In his remarks after the bill passed second reading by a voice vote, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau who presided over the session, said the intended legislation was very necessary for boosting the morale of men and officers of NPF, while in service ahead of a prosperous retirement life.
“The bill is very important. The Police is our number one law enforcement entity and so, we need to do all that is required to take care of them in respect of their pension.
“They lay down their lives while we are asleep; they are awake to protect us and our properties, so we need to do our best in terms of their pension.
“It is quite good, as suggested, that their pension should be in line with what is applicable in other sister agencies. What is good for the goose should also be good for the gander,” he said.
He thereafter, mandated the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, to make more legislative inputs into it and report back in four weeks time.