The House of Representatives committees on police affairs and pension have assured protesting retired police officers that their demands and agitations have been addressed.
The retired police personnel had in the last six weeks staged protest at the National Assembly front gate over the non-remittance of their contributory pensions and gratuities.
Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Rep. Makki Yalleman, said that the demands of the retired police officers were encapsulated and addressed in a bill entitled HB979.
Yalleman, who expressed optimism that the provision of the bill would address the plethora of demands made by the police retirees, urged them to go home happily.
He described the 10th House of Representatives as a listening one, expressing the willingness of the lawmakers to alleviate the plights of all Nigerians.
“We have been interacting with the retired police officers, and we have looked into their complaints and packaged them in a bill,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Pensions, Rep. Hussein Jalo, expressed the commitment of the House to addressing the agitations.
Jalo said that the committee has been working in synergy with the Inspector General of Police and Director General, Pensions Board to address the complaints.
He explained that the bill entitled “A Bill for An Act to Establish Nigeria Police Pension Board (HB979) had been moved to the Senate for harmonisation and onward forwarding to the President for assent.
Jalo said: “My plea to them is to leave the gate and go back to their homes.”
- NAN