“IGP Egbetokun Backs Police Retirees, Says Exit from Pension Scheme Not Off the Table”

“IGP Egbetokun Backs Police Retirees, Says Exit from Pension Scheme Not Off the Table”

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has assured protesting retired police officers of his commitment to improving their welfare, particularly under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

Addressing the retirees at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Egbetokun expressed solidarity with their demands and emphasized that he also shares their concerns about retirement life.

He said:

“We all feel concerned. We empathize with you because we are also going to retire. I have been engaging at the highest level to ensure that something is done to improve the condition of the poor pensioner.”

According to the IGP, he had just concluded a meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, where the issue of poor police pensions was discussed extensively.

He stated:

“Even right now, I was just coming from a meeting with the NSA. The subject matter is the poor pension of retired officers. There are things that we need to do to ensure that your suffering in retirement is alleviated.

“There are a number of things that we have done, steps that I have been taking, the details of which I would not like to disclose with the press present. But I just want to assure you that we empathize with you and we are not just folding our arms. We are doing a lot to ensure that something is done.”

Egbetokun also warned the retirees not to allow themselves to be manipulated by individuals or groups with hidden agendas.

“Don’t allow the enemies of the police to use you. Be suspicious of those who pretend to be on your side. They may not mean well for you,” he cautioned.

On the contentious issue of the CPS, the IGP clarified his position, dismissing claims that he was against the push for the police to exit the scheme.

“I am not opposed to your exit from the CPS. I’m not opposed to it. If exiting from CPS will solve the problem, I will go for it. But if it is difficult for us to exit CPS, what else can we do? We have been agitating exit CPS, exit CPS. For the past 11 years, it has not worked,” he explained.

He emphasized that while the desire to leave the scheme has existed since 2014, the power to effect such a change lies beyond any one individual, including himself.

“The agitation to exit the CPS has been on since 2014, 11 years ago. All previous IGs have tried their best to exit the police from the CPS. But exiting the CPS is beyond the power of any inspector general police.

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“There are a lot of things that are involved. But what we’re interested in is ensuring that our retired officers live a good life after serving the country for 35 years. That is what we want.

“Even while in the CPS, this is what I have said that people have misconstrued. They have misinterpreted it that it is not until you exit the CPS before you can earn a good pension. Even with the CPS, we can improve the operation of that CPS and ensure that you are happy in retirement.

“There have been several efforts in the past to exit, and it’s not working. So as IG, I started thinking that we have to start looking for alternative ways of addressing the challenges. And it’s these alternative ways I’m working on that people are misinterpreting as I am opposing your exit from CPS.”