National Issues
Contributory Pension Scheme Need To Be Revisited By The 9th National Assembly For The Interest Of Nigerians -By Shariff M.M. Al-Hassan
How can certain meagre percentage be paid to the retiree with heavy family responsibilities and the balance distributed over certain period of time expected to be the death period. Are they the creator of that person to know their time of death? This is a wicked belief which is not in consonance with our cultural systems in Nigeria.
The coming of Contributory Pension Scheme if I am not mistaken in 2004 was intended to resolve and to improve the lingering pension problems the Nigerian retirees of both civil and some public institutions are suffering from. But unfortunately it is that scheme that now turns to be another quick ways of getting gradual elimination of Senior Citizens of Nigeria.
It is a disturbing senerio that after serving the nation for at least 35 years of meritorious service or less turns them to a sorry situation. In advanced nations across the world, Senior Citizens are the most respected, reliable and most obeyed.
Banks, financial and other great institutions believe so much in dealing with them financially and in other businesses. But in Nigeria they are the most dejected, fearful and unreliable and the reason is because of this scheme.
The issue of insecurities and other criminalities confronting Nigeria today are factors deeply rooted in this callous and gradual process of elimination caused by the Contributory Pension Scheme. The entire system of operation of this scheme is not for people of African race. How can certain meagre percentage be paid to the retiree with heavy family responsibilities and the balance distributed over certain period of time expected to be the death period. Are they the creator of that person to know their time of death? This is a wicked belief which is not in consonance with our cultural systems in Nigeria.
Another bad side of Contributory Pension Scheme is its unknown negative contribution to the rapid growth in the ongoing insecurities. The non-full and prompt payment of timely dues to the retirees breeds bandits, kidnappers, human traffickers, violent crimes, religious fundamentalism and the rests. These are made possible mainly because parents ( retirees ) are made incapable to take care of their children due to this bad scheme.
Therefore, let this corrective 9th National Assembly revisit this Contributory Pension Scheme by doing the followings:
i- Stop the scheme.
ii- Revert to the old pension system.
iii- Reform the entire old Pension scheme with good administrators.
iv- Provide good and workable laws.
May we be guided.
