The Police Service Commission (PSC) has described the planned protest by retired officers over a “discriminatory” pension scheme as ill-timed, adding that the issue was receiving serious attention.
It said the commission was working assiduously to ensure a democratised police pension scheme, stating that the welfare of both serving and retired officers was its major preoccupation.
Spokesperson for the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement, said the chairman, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd), has appealed to the planners to have a rethink, as his commission was on top of the matter.
The statement reads in part: “The Police Service Commission has noted the ill-advised plan by retired police officers across the nation to embark on a strike action over issues that are already receiving the attention of relevant government agencies. The commission says the intended strike action at a time when there is almost a consensus that the state/condition of some retired police officers deserves immediate consideration and improvement is diversionary and in bad taste.
“Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu, has at several fora condemned the poor and discriminatory pension scheme for some categories of retired officers, and has called for a streamlined police pension scheme.
“DIG Argungu had also made several interventions in this direction and till date, had remained an advocate of a democratised police pension scheme.
“The commission believes that relevant government agencies are currently looking into the obvious disparity with a view to bridging the gap. It advises that the affected officers should consider the path of dialogue and continuous engagement rather than confrontation.”
SIMILARLY, the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), yesterday, said the planned nationwide protest is an attempt to discredit the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun.
Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, Mannir Lawal, had told newsmen that members of the union would protest in Abuja today.
But PCRC’s National Chairman, Ibrahim Olaniyan, in a statement yesterday, claimed that the proposed protest was ill-timed, stressing that it aimed at undermining the achievements of the IGP.
“It is a calculated attempt to distract and discredit the commendable progress being made by the IG and by extension, the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The PCRC holds in high regard the integrity, discipline, and patriotism of our retired police officers,” he said.
ALSO, a socio-political group, Integrity Youth Alliance, has opposed the exercise.
In a statement yesterday by its National Coordinator, Kelvin Adegbenga, the group noted that while the welfare of law enforcement officers is an important national concern, any action advocating change should be pursued through structured dialogue and within the boundaries of the law.
It is advised that efforts to support the police should be focused on policy dialogue, institutional reforms, and formal engagement with stakeholders.
