Edo retirees protest over N7,000 monthly pension, demand exit from CPS

Retirees under the Edo State Civil Service Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) have protested against what they described as inadequate monthly pensions, with some pensioners receiving as little as N7,000.

The retirees staged a peaceful demonstration at the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday, demanding that the state government remove them from the contributory pension scheme.

Carrying placards with messages including “CPS is evil,” “CPS is failing Edo workers and pensioners” and “Mr Governor, save our soul,” the protesters appealed to the state government to review their pension arrangements.

The Chairman of the group, Andrew Asemota, said some retirees who spent decades in public service were receiving between N7,000 and N10,000 monthly.

Asemota, who said he served the state for 35 years, disclosed that his current monthly pension was N45,000.

“Many pensioners are receiving as low as N7,000 and N10,000,” he said.

He explained that the protesters were seeking the intervention of the House of Assembly in persuading Governor Monday Okpebholo to remove them from the CPS.

According to him, some of the affected retirees joined the civil service under the old Bendel State and had already spent between 28 and 29 years in service when the contributory pension scheme was introduced.

He said former Governor Godwin Obaseki enacted the state’s CPS law in 2017, resulting in their inclusion in the scheme despite their lengthy years of service.

“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,” Asemota said.

Receiving the protesters, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Yekini Idaiye, assured them that he would convey their demands to the governor and seek a prompt response.

Idaiye urged the retirees to remain peaceful and law-abiding while pursuing their grievances.