In a move aimed at addressing the long-standing disparity in pension benefits between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other frontline security agencies, the Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for the establishment of an exclusive Police Pension Board, as reported on DAILY POST.
The passage of the "Police Pension Board (Establishment) Bill" for a second reading was prompted by the lead debate presented by the sponsor, Senator Binos Dauda Yaroe (PDP, Adamawa South), who highlighted the disadvantages faced by the NPF under the current contributory pension scheme managed by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
According to Senator Yaroe, the pension and gratuity benefits of the NPF are significantly lower compared to their counterparts in the military and other security agencies.
For instance, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) receives a pension benefit of only N2.5 million, while the equivalent ranks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) receive as much as N12.8 million.
The senators who contributed to the debate on the bill unanimously supported the proposed legislation, emphasizing the critical role played by the police in protecting the lives and property of the citizens, as well as detecting, preventing, and investigating crimes.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, described the bill as "very necessary" for boosting the morale of the police force and ensuring a prosperous retirement life for its personnel.
"The police is our number one law enforcement entity, and so we need to do all that is required to take care of them in respect of their pension," Senator Barau said.
"They lay down their lives while we are asleep; they are awake to protect us and our properties, so we need to do our best in terms of their pension."
The Senate has now mandated the Committee on Police Affairs to make further legislative inputs into the bill and report back within four weeks, paving the way for its eventual passage and the establishment of the Police Pension Board.