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The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Dickson, has pledged to end pension hardship faced by retired police officers, promising to remove the Nigeria Police Force from the contributory pension scheme if the party forms the next government.
Dickson said the policy, under an NDC government led by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would enable retired policemen to live decent lives after years of service to the country.
The contributory pension scheme has remained a contentious issue among retired police officers, who complain that their retirement benefits are significantly lower than those received by retired personnel of other arms of the country’s security forces.
The former Bayelsa State governor gave the assurance on Friday when about 60 retired senior police officers from Bayelsa West paid him a courtesy visit at his country home in Toro-Orua, Bayelsa State.
He lamented the hardship confronting retired policemen, noting that many were struggling to maintain their homes and meet basic needs, including healthcare expenses.
Dickson, who represents Bayelsa West in the 10th Senate, assured the delegation that an NDC administration would prioritise the welfare of both serving and retired police officers.
He thanked the retired officers for the visit and their show of solidarity and support for him and the NDC.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Gold Akponafa, said they visited Dickson to pay their respects to him, describing him as a hero of the Ijaw nation.
Akponafa said Dickson represented not only Bayelsa West but also the interests of Bayelsa State and the entire Niger Delta at the National Assembly.
He disclosed that the retired officers were proud of Dickson’s political achievements, particularly his role in founding the NDC, which he described as the leading opposition platform in Nigeria.
The retired police officer disclosed that the delegation had unanimously resolved to work for Dickson’s re-election and support NDC candidates across all elective positions, from the presidential to the state House of Assembly elections in Bayelsa State.
On the contributory pension scheme, Akponafa commended Dickson, himself a former police officer, for speaking up for retired policemen, whom he said had been marginalised.
