AFTER days of protest at the gates of the National Assembly, retired police officers finally received the assurance they had been waiting for, as the Senate declared it would remove the police from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made the declaration yesterday during a meeting with the leadership of the protesting retirees.

He said, “From what you’ve told us, this policy was not well thought out. But take it today that your problem is over. You can disperse from the gate. By Tuesday, we will concur with the House of Representatives and pass the Act exiting you from the scheme. And President Bola Tinubu, being a listening leader, will sign it into law.”

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying the CPS was “certainly not good for security personnel,” especially when the military, DSS, NIA, and others had already been exempted.

“If those at the top of the services are out of it, why should the police, who faced the same dangers, remain?” he asked, adding: “What is good for the goose is good for the gander. We will ensure the same treatment from the Inspector-General down to the last Constable.”

The leader of the retirees, CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria, expressed gratitude to the Senate, saying his members were encouraged by the swift attention to their plight.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his vote of thanks, praised Akpabio for his prompt and empathetic response.