…Back the Establishment of Police Special Force Academy
By Henry Umoru
STAKEHOLDERS sharply disagreed Friday over the proposed establishment of Police Pension Board.
The Stakeholders differed on the establishment of Police Pension Board during the Public Hearing on the bill sponsored for that purpose by Senator Elisha Abbo, APC, Adamawa North.
The public hearing was organised by the Senator Dauda Haliru Jika, Bauchi Central led Senate Committee on Police Affairs
Meanwhile, stakeholders at the public hearing have overwhelmingly supported the proposed move by the Senate for the establishment of Nigeria Police Special Force Academy on the strenght of a bill sponsored to that effect by Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South.
At the public hearing while Senators , the Police and groups of Police retirees supported the proposal, the National Pension Commission (PENCOM ) , Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria , Nigeria Labour Congress, among others however kicked against it.
In his presentation, the Inspector – General of Police, IGP, Alkali Baba represented by Deputy Inspector General Sanusi Lemu said that the Police required a distinct board on its own for the management and administration of pensions of retired Police personnel in the mode of the Military Pension Board.
He said, ” The Police as clearly stated by the title of the bill ” Police Pension Board Establishment Bill 2022″, deserved to have a separate body for management and administration of Pensions of its retirees.
” Exiting the Contributory Pension Scheme ( CPS) , being run and managed by PENCOM, is long overdue for the Police on account of poor services being subjected to.
” The proposed board , will boost the morale of Police Personnel to dispassionately discharge their duties of fighting crimes “, he said .
In their separate remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Dauda Haliru Jika, sponsor of the bill, Senator Elisha Abbo and Senator Ali Ndume said that the Police deserved to be given special treatment being enjoyed by the Military with a special pension board .
But their position was kicked against by the Director – General of PENCOM, Aisha Dahiru who noted that allowing the Police to exit CPS would amount to taking the country back to the dark ages of mismanagement of pension fund which landed the country with N1.6trillion liabilities in June 2004 when the scheme started .
Also kicking against the proposed board , the Chief Executive Officer of Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria , Oguche Agudah warned the committee and by extension the Senate against legislating liabilities .
According to him, since the proposed body will be solely funded by budgetary allocations, avoidable burden , will be placed on the federal government currently battling with N10.7trillion budget deficit in 2023 fiscal year, adding, “We cannot in good faith , legislate liabilities “
In his presentation, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) , Ayuba Waba who hammered on prompt payment of gratuities of retired police personnel or those who died in active service, said that the proposed Police Pension Board was well envisioned, but the problem is sustainability as regards funding saying ” the mistake of moving from known to unknown , should not be made.”
The Senate Committee on Police Affairs is expected to present its to the Red Chamber when it reconvene next week Tuesday.
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