NASS Removes Police From National Pension Commission

• The House of Representatives has on Tuesday, October 21, passed a bill to remove the police from the National Pension Commission
• This is as the National Assembly is set to create the Nigerian Police Force Pension Board, with the new bill
• The new development will make the police officers' pension system be distinct like that of the military and other security forces

The House of Representatives has passed a bill which seeks to create the Nigerian Police Force Pension Board, which will be designed with a distinct scheme for officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, the House majority leader, proposed the bill, which was passed on Tuesday, October 21.

New way to start paying police pension

Once the board is established, it will be responsible for the administration and management of the police officers' pension affairs. It will then take over the pension duty from the National Pension Commission (PenCom), currently under the contributory pension management.

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According to Daily Trust, the bill was passed after the report of the House Committee on Police Affairs was put into consideration and adopted. The proposal was earlier reviewed at the committee stage.

The bill explained that the Nigerian Police Force Pension Board will be responsible for the administration, management, and payment of retirement benefits of police officers and men of the NPF, which will be in line with the provisions of the new law.

Also, the new law seeks to exempt the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which was established by the Pension Reform Act, 2014. It then placed the NPF as a separate and dedicated pension system, which will be similar to the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

Retired police officers protest poor pension

This is coming after a series of protests by some retired police officers against what they considered a poor pension after years of serving Nigeria.

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A large number of retired police officers on Monday, July 22, staged a protest at the Plateau state Police Command Headquarters in Jos. The retired police officers decried what they called systemic neglect and ill-treatment by the Nigerian Police Force and the federal government.

Clad in black attire and carrying placards with inscriptions like “We Deserve Better” and “Stop the Contributory Pension Scheme,” the protesting retirees accused the government of abandoning them after decades of dedicated service.

Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the Plateau state chapter of the retired police officers, Ayuba Gora, lamented the condition of former officers under the Contributory Pension Scheme, saying many are left with meagre payments that cannot sustain basic living.

Clash in NASS over Nnamdi Kanu's health

Legit.ng earlier reported that the House of Representatives had seen a heated debate about the health condition of the leader of the proscribed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

Obinna Aguocha, the lawmaker representing the Umuahia North/Umuahia South/Ikwuano Federal Constituency of Abia, clashed with the speaker, Abbas Tajudeen.

Aguocha said he had written letters to President Bola Tinubu, the speaker and the attorney general of the federation about Kanu's health.

Source: Legit.ng