Retired police officers could see a major change in their retirement benefits, with Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu proposing a 200 per cent gratuity and pensions tied to officers’ last salaries.
The proposal comes amid longstanding complaints by serving and retired police personnel over inadequate pensions, delayed payments and the contentious Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
Disu disclosed in Abuja on Sunday that a presidential committee was examining the proposed changes as part of efforts to overhaul the police pension system.
Under the proposed framework, eligible officers would receive pensions linked to their final salaries, alongside an enhanced gratuity. The plan also provides for a review of benefits for officers who retired before the new arrangement takes effect.
However, the proposal is not yet an approved entitlement. Disu said its adoption would depend on the committee’s recommendations, government approval, funding arrangements and implementation guidelines.
The committee includes representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Budget Office and the National Pension Commission.
Its mandate includes examining outstanding pension liabilities, identifying sustainable funding arrangements and recommending improvements to pension administration.
Disu said President Bola Tinubu’s intervention had raised hopes among retirees who have struggled with low benefits and delays in accessing their entitlements.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had cleared a backlog of pension payments that previously left some retirees waiting for as long as two years.
The government has also introduced a pension increment, with some beneficiaries reportedly receiving almost twice their previous payments.
The IGP said continued engagement with the Presidency, PenCom and other relevant agencies would be critical to resolving the pension dispute and establishing a more sustainable system.
The proposed reforms are also expected to address demands by serving officers seeking to leave the Contributory Pension Scheme.
If adopted, the new framework could extend benefits to both future retirees and officers already receiving pensions.
For now, police personnel and retirees will have to await the committee’s recommendations and the government’s final decision on the proposed 200 per cent gratuity and salary-linked pensions.