RETIRED police officers in Nigeria under the contributory pension scheme, on Tuesday, May 21, expressed their displeasure over several months of unpaid pensions.

The retired officers stormed the National Assembly in Abuja, to protest the “severe hardships” they had faced due to the alleged failure of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) to pay their entitlements.

The retirees representing various state chapters called on the federal government to remove them from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The retirees, seen with various placards, lamented being denied their money after giving their best while serving the nation.

The Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) was introduced in 2004 as part of the pension reform to ensure that both the employer and the employee contribute a portion of the employee’s monthly salary to the scheme, which the employee gets after retirement.

Although the scheme’s main objective is to ensure that every person who works in either public or private organisations gets what will support them after they have retired, the scheme has faced criticisms from Nigerian retirees.

Many retirees have reported significant delays in receiving their pension benefits from the scheme.

In September 2021, retirees, under the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (RPON), Niger State chapter, took to the street to protest neglect by the federal government.

They also demanded the immediate removal of the Police Force from the PenCom’s contributory pension scheme.

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