Police retirees in Plateau State have groaned over poor payment of their pension by PenCom, calling on the executive and legislative arms of government to intervene.
The retirees said since they left the police service, they have been living in debt as their basic monthly pensions were not being paid. They called on the legislative arms to remove them from PenCom’s scheme and return them to their former pension scheme.
A.T. Gora, Plateau State Chairman, retired police officers under the new contributory pension scheme, in an exclusive interview, told Daily Trust on Monday, in Jos, that life had not been easy for the retired police officers because they were not fairly treated by PenCom compared to other retirees in the country.
Gora who retired as Superintendent of Police (SP), said since his retirement, his monthly pension was N30,000, which he said was nothing to go home about, adding that he was indebted to people for a large sum.
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He said, “Almost every retiree is living in debt especially if they are not doing anything. As a state chairman, the debt I am owing people is not less than N500.000. When will I pay back? Only God knows. We don’t know why the police are being played like this in this country. I don’t know what is wrong with the National Assembly. Imagine, a retired SP collecting such an amount.
“There is a bill sponsored in the National Assembly on the removal of the retired police officers from the PenCom when members of the National Assembly expressed dismay at how the police are being treated. Our leaders who are serving now are yet to see the problem we are facing. Maybe, because they are still serving, ” the chairman said.
Abubakar Dashe, another retired Superintendent of Police receives N30,000 monthly.
He said, “PenCom has not been good to us. Instead of us to be collecting N140, 000 and above, I am being given N30,000 monthly. How can this money solve my family’s problem? It is not fair. PenCom is not doing us well. We don’t know what they are doing with our money. But those who are under the old scheme, collect more than us. Why are those under PenCom different?” Dashe added.
Gora, however, said since the National Assembly was the one that established the PenCom law, it could amend or merge them with the old pension scheme to enable them to receive their correct pay as pensioners.