Retirees from the Edo State Civil Service under the state’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest, calling on the state government to exit them from the Scheme.
They lamented that many of them are still receiving as low as between N7,000 and N10,000 as monthly pensions.
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “CPS is evil”, “CPS is failing Edo workers and pensioners”, “Mr Governor, save our soul”, “you can do it, exit us from CPS”, among others.
Speaking during the protest at the State House of Assembly, the group’s Chairman, Andrew Asemota, lamented that some pensioners in the state still received monthly pension as low as N7,000 and N10,000 after serving the state for 36 years.
“We are retirees from the Edo State Civil Service under the state’s Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Today, as a pensioner, I am receiving N45,000 as pension after working for 35 years.
“Many pensioners are receiving as low as N7,000 and N10,000,” he said.
He said the protest was to register their grievances and solicit the support of the House of Assembly and its Speaker, Hon Yekini Idaiye, to move them away from the contributory pension scheme.
“We joined the Edo State Civil Service during the old Bendel State, and in 2017, former governor Godwin Obaseki enacted the contributory pension scheme law and put us in the scheme. Some of us had already put in 28 and 29 years in service,” he said.
“We are here to seek your assistance and help us talk to the state governor, Monday Okpebholo, to come to our aid because he is a listening governor who has come to right the wrong of the past,” he said.
Responding, the Speaker assured the group that he would take their message to the state governor for prompt response.
He advised the protesters to remain peaceful and be law-abiding while expressing their grievances.