The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has proposed a 200 per cent gratuity for retired police officers as part of efforts to address longstanding pension challenges in the Nigeria Police Force.
The proposal is before a presidential committee established to examine the concerns of police personnel and recommend sustainable solutions to the pension crisis.
The committee comprises representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Pension Commission.
The proposed gratuity is expected to form part of broader reforms aimed at improving retirement benefits, addressing outstanding pension liabilities and enhancing pension administration.
The initiative also seeks to address persistent protests by serving police officers demanding their exit from the Contributory Pension Scheme.
The proposed reforms are expected to cover officers who retired before the implementation of any new framework, with provisions to review their benefits in line with revised terms.
President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the pension crisis has raised hopes among retired officers who have complained about inadequate benefits, delayed payments and administrative bottlenecks.
The Federal Government has reportedly cleared outstanding pension payment backlogs that previously left some retirees waiting for up to two years. It has also introduced pension increases, with some beneficiaries receiving nearly double their previous payments.
Disu’s engagement with the Presidency, PenCom and other relevant institutions is expected to sustain efforts to resolve issues relating to pension funding, outstanding liabilities and benefit administration.
However, the proposed 200 per cent gratuity has not been approved and remains subject to the committee’s recommendations, government approval, funding arrangements and implementation guidelines
