Opinion

Pension Reforms Law: The People’s Views

Published

12 years ago

July 7, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan, last Tuesday,
signed the Pension Reforms Bill 2014 into Law. The new law which prescribes 10-years jail term for anybody that embezzles pensions fund, is also designed to punish offenders with a view to serving as a deterrent to those who may want to mis-manage or divert pension fund assets.
How far can this law go in solving the age long problem of embezzlement of retirees money in the country? Our chief correspondent, Calista Ezeaku, put this question to some Port Harcourt residents. Prince Dele Obinna, captured the respondents.

Chief Jude Nwoka – Lecturer
Over time, our problem in this country has been our legal and regulatory frame work. There had been a lot of reforms like pension bills, corporate affairs commission and many others aimed at regulating, the activities of orgainsations. But the issue is, has there been adequate, sufficient, enabling laws to make the operators in the public service be accountable and transparent in the management of the pension fund? Now the question is, what is ICPC doing? What are all the institutions that are supposed to be guiding the activities of organisations, doing? How many persons have you heard that ICPC has jailed in this country? What of EFCC, SON and others?
What I’m saying in essence is that the Pension Reforms Bill 2014 which was signed into law by the President a couple of days ago is Okey, but implementation of this bill is the problem. We have weak, inadequate, inefficient mechanisms to monitor the compliance to these laws in all spheres of Nigerians economy. Look at what the former governor of Central Bank, Sanusi did. It’s not as if Sanusi is the best person, but he was determined to make sure that all those executive officers of the banks that were involved in that lack of corporate governance were punished and disciplined. Today, Nigeria banking industry has elements of credence and credibility. There is element of transparency.
Talking about 10-year jail term for anybody that embezzles pension fund, I don’t think that is the issue. A dubious person can say let me embezzle N10bn, go to jail and after 10 years I will come out and enjoy the money. One politician may as well be in power tomorrow and say “okay, he has to be released or granted pardon”. So there should be a distinction between politics and governance. It is not the jail term that is the issue, the issue is how morally oriented are we? Late Prof Dora Akunyili was talking about rebranding, changing the moral consciousness of Nigerians. So the issue is what is the level of our moral standard?
So the Reforms Bill is now a law but how many persons are likely to be jailed because of political patronage? Of course you know how corruption cases are being swept under the carpet in Nigeria. So, what we are saying is, how do we get morally re-orientated? How do we make sure that there is full compliance to the law? ICPC, EFCC and other agencies responsible for law enforcement should be up and doing.

Mr. Samuel Owhonda – Retired Civil Servant
The law is good but we need prayers to help us do things properly in this country. The people in positions of authority today need to remember that one day, they will retire as I have retired now. That’s why I like what President Goodluck Jonathan is doing, carrying out reforms that will make life more meaningful for retirees. I have received my retirement benefits. Government never owed me one naira. Retirees need their pension to take care of themselves and it should not be tempered with by anybody. The 10-year jail term for embezzlement of pensions fund is enough. We don’t talk about killing somebody, if not all the people involved in that are supposed to die. You have put in your whole life in service and you retire and somebody is punishing you forgetting he will retire from service one day. All of us will retire. Don’t punish people. Give them what belongs to them. Anybody that retires is on his way to the grave, so make them happy by giving them what is due them. The monthly pensions scheme is just to give them sense of belonging. It is their right which terminates when they die. So retirees in Nigeria should be provided with adequate welfare scheme to enable them enjoy like retirees in other counties.

Hon (Mrs) Chioma Amadi-Oparaeli – Public Servant
I think the law is okey because the pensioners case in Nigeria is becoming very critical. People in the offices who claim to be incharge, will sign off the pensioners money, travel aboard, build houses, buy cars and all sorts of things, forgetting the people that have worked for this money. They worked for it, they are entitled to it, so they should be given their due payment. Some of these retirees are so old, and people embezzle their money without even having pity on them. Sometimes they are owed for six, seven months. So the 10-years jail term is okey but I wish it was even more than that so that when you think of the punishment for whatever evil you want to do, you will have a rethink.
But I think that for this law to achieve its aim, our judiciary needs to be strengthened because if the judiciary is strong enough, they will be able to prosecute offenders without fear or favour. Secondly, this law should not be ridicule by giving the offenders laughable amounts to pay as options. For instance, when someone embezzles billions of naira and he was given a fine of N1m, when you know that person can pay it without blinking his eyes. He pays the fine option and is set free to enjoin his looth. So the judiciary should work seriously on that if not the embezzlement will not stop and we will keep causing the death of so many retirees. These people have contributed to the development of this country for Christ sake and I am saying that they should be given their pension as at when due. Immediately one reitrees he should be paid. Their gratuities and pensions should not be delayed. A situation where someone retirees and for three years he has not received even a kobo is very very unfair.

Mr. Igwe – Businessman
I think 10 years jail term is not enough. If you embezzle a huge sum of money and goes to jail for 10 years, well by the time you come out from prison and the money is still somewhere in a bank or with a friend, you continue your life, then somebody will follow the suit and do the same. So the penalty should be life in jail. Recall the case of the police pensions boss who embezzled pensions fund of over N20b and he was given two years jail term. Can you imagine that? That is not encouraging. The level of corruption in this country is too high. I don’t know where we are heading to honestly.
Somehow, the law will help in the fight against corruption particularly in the area of embezzlement of the retirees fund. For those who have conscience, if you remember the law, and the punishment therein, you will not want your name to be messed up. The area I’m kicking against is the 10-years jail punishment. If it can be made life jail then they will hands off completely, because you can see the politicians, they will engage the bad boys to win elections and after the election they will dump the boys and those boys will come back to the streets. Look at arms all over the places. Nobody is save in Nigeria. There is corruption everywhere.
And most of the people in government, those retirees are their parents. So we need a special welfare package for these weak ones. They should be given free medical attention and so on, so that they will pray for us. Some of these pensioners curse the younger generation due to the ill treatment meted on them by the society. But if they are happy, all that will come out from them is blessings for the younger ones.

Mr. John Ugwu – Businessman
Actually, the law is fine because in Nigeria today, the problem we have is just embezzlement, stealing of Nigerian fund. If the jail term had been higher than 10 years, it would have been better because somebody can embezzle billions of naira and go to jail for 10 years, after that, he comes out to enjoy the money with his people. So the penalty should be stiffer, according to how much was stolen. If you steal huge amount, they should give you a stiffer punishment.
This should apply not only to the pensions fund, but every aspect of life in Nigeria, schools board, local government etc. Any time a person is caught stealing Nigerian’s money, the person should go in for it. The law enforcement agencies should rise up and do their work. We have good laws in this country, but the enforcement has always been the problem. If we don’t begin the adequate punish offenders to serve as deterrent to others, this country will not move forward.

Opinion

Kudos Gov Fubara

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.

The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people. He said, “our isolation is over.” That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.

The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.

Samuel Ebiye

Opinion

… And It Came To Pass

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation.”

Tell it in Rivers State, publish it in the streets of Port Harcourt, so the daughters of the State could rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and know that Fubara is not vindictive”. And it came to pass that Rivers State emerged from one of the most delicate chapters in its political journey, the period of emergency rule that spanned from March 18 to September 18, 2025. It was a season that tested institutions, strained loyalties, and exposed the fragile balance between power and principle. During that time, the suspended Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara DSSRS, was widely believed to have suffered not only political setbacks but personal betrayal, allegedly from some top civil servants within the state apparatus. These were individuals expected to uphold neutrality and professionalism, yet were accused in public opinion of taking sides against the very government they served.

As the emergency rule ended and Governor Fubara resumed office, expectations were shaped less by policy and more by emotion. Many assumed that revenge would quietly find expression through governance. The loudest suspicion centered on the 2025 Christmas bonus of ?100,000 traditionally paid to each worker. The thinking was simple and cynical: a wounded governor would surely withhold goodwill. Some voices even mocked workers openly hoping that the governor would refuse to pay the bonus. To them, denial of the bonus would serve as proof of political strength and justified retaliation. In reality, such thinking revealed a troubling desire to see governance reduced to personal vendetta. Yet, it came to pass, the governor chose a path that confounded suspicion. Against all expectations, the 2025 Christmas bonus was paid.

That single decision quietly but firmly reframed the narrative. It showed a leader focused on governance rather than grudges, on institutional continuity rather than emotional satisfaction. The payment was not a favor, nor was it a concession; it was a statement that public administration must rise above personal injury. By honoring the bonus, Governor Fubara demonstrated that leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation. He made it clear that workers’ welfare would not become collateral damage in political disagreements. This action also served as a moral rebuke to those who celebrated division and hoped for punishment. Governance is not validated by the suffering of workers, nor is leadership strengthened by withholding entitlements. At the same time, the issue of alleged sycophancy and betrayal within the civil service cannot be brushed aside. If proven, such conduct deserves firm, lawful, and institutional correction. Civil servants are bound by duty to the state, not to political conspiracies or shifting loyalties.

However, justice must never be confused with revenge. The strength of governance lies in correcting wrongs without destroying the system itself. Governor Fubara’s restraint suggested an understanding that the future of Rivers State mattered more than settling scores. For workers, this moment carried an important lesson. Celebration should be rooted in good governance, not in the expectation of another’s downfall. Rejoicing in rumors of denial or punishment undermines the very stability that protects workers’ welfare. Public service thrives where professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability are upheld. Pettiness, gossip, and political scheming only weaken institutions and erode trust. History often remembers leaders not for the crises they inherit, but for the character they display in response. In paying the 2025 Christmas bonus, Governor Fubara chose legacy over impulse, maturity over malice.

And so, it came to pass that focus defeated revenge, governance triumphed over bitterness, and Rivers State was reminded that true leadership is proven when restraint is expected least but delivered most. Beyond the symbolism of the Christmas bonus lies a deeper question about the kind of political culture Rivers State intends to cultivate in the years ahead. Periods of emergency rule, anywhere in the world, often leave behind residues of suspicion, fear, and silent realignments. Institutions do not emerge untouched; individuals recalibrate loyalties, some out of conviction, others out of self-preservation. What distinguishes stable democracies from fragile ones is not the absence of such moments, but the discipline with which leadership manages their aftermath. River.

King Onunwor

Opinion

That Withdrawal of Police Orderlies From VIPs

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:”Balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk in a country where the majority of citizens are still under-protected.”

The Presidential announcement on the removal of police orderlies from persons in authority and their relations ( Very Important Persons ) last month came as a relief to many Nigerians who felt deprived of one major role of government ; security of lives and property.The higher population of Nigerians missed needed security because the VIPs and the VVIPs kept retinue of Police Officers totalling over 100 ,000 to themselves and their family members as if they are all that matter while some communities under attack of terrorists have no single unit of police station located there in. While many hailed the announcement , some said perhaps the government has just woken up to her major responsibility of securing the lives and property of all citizens while many expressed indifference on the note that it may be one of those pronouncements which come only in words but no action .Many keep their fingers crossed watching how it will play out , how Mr President will go about the implementation of the seemingly dicey policy .

Benjamin Franklin said “well said is better than well done ” It is sufficient today to say that many Nigerians including me are still waiting and watching to see how well and how long this return of the Police service to the ordinary people will go . Wishing hopes will not be crashed , It is note worthy, that the recent complaints by the VIPs of being exposed to attacks may in a way affect the action on implementation. Recently, at Senate plenary , another worrisome angle came up as Senator Abdul Ningi coming through a motion disclosed that he had only one police officer attached to him ( his office ) and that the officer was recalled the week before following Mr President’s directive . Senator Ningi said the withdrawal exposed him to high risks but underscored the angle that while his orderly was recalled , many other politicians , men and women in authority, business concerns foreigners and even children of some VIPs are still enjoying retinue of police protection ( officially attached to them ).

It’s note worthy also that the Deputy Senate President , Distinguished Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session revealed that the leadership of both chambers are already in discussion with President Tinubu on the need to exempt the law makers from the new policy . Senator Ningi may not be wrong . After all he emphasized he is okay provided that the removal of the Police Orderlies be done across board . Senator Barau noted that talks are on over the issue of law makers’ in line with international practice . Further details from the Presidency noted that Presiding officers will retain their police officers , others would have Civil Defense officers ( NSCDC) as orderlies while any other VIP who feels he or she deserves personal police protection should get clearance from his office . In the midst of all issues weighing in on the proper implementation , it becomes necessary to bear in mind that the decision hinges on the realization that Nigeria has peculiar security issues (of kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism.) and that majority of Nigerians are under protected.

More so, that if well implemented, Police officers will focus on core duties; even as 30,000 new police officers are to recruited to enhance security .That implementation must be made in a way that leaves no room.for selective treatment loss of confidence and controversies. Looking at previous attempts of implementation of this policy gives faint hope as several attempts consistently failed . Former IGPs like Tafa Balogun (2003), Ogbonnaya Onovo (2009), and Ibrahim Idris (2018) tried the policy but all failed due to political resistance from various angles. All the failed attempts were tied to lack of political will mostly due to the fact that the directives came from police chiefs, not the president. Selective Enforcement was another killer to the policy as partial implementation met resistance and later reversal . Egbetokun (2023) and Adamu (2020) saw minimal impact.

Further more entrenched corruption in the system saw Politicians and VIPs quietly regain police escorts due to ‘transactional economics”and pressure. Worse still the mindset of the police officers withdrawn didn’t help the policy Underpaid police prioritize VIP duties for extra benefits. Many wish President Tinubu’s move can break this cycle. As at today, he still insists the move is non-negotiable while stressing collaboration with states to upgrade training facilities. As citizens look forward to success of the policy without undue exposure of both sides, balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk. Talk fades ; action echoes. How the Presidency implements this policy. has much to tell on the governments stand on national / community security , choice of priority and the ability to stand uncomprised . The known goal is clear: The outcome is not yet certain. Fingers crossed , we await . Definitely , time will tell.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi.

s State stood at such a crossroads in September 2025. The temptation to rule with a long memory and a heavy hand was real. Yet, the choice made signaled a preference for healing over hardening. Leadership after crisis demands more than administrative competence; it requires moral clarity.

Governor Fubara’s decision reminded the state that authority is not best exercised through silent punishment or selective generosity. Rather, it is strengthened when rules remain rules, irrespective of personal injury. By keeping faith with workers, the government preserved an essential firewall between politics and public service. That firewall, once breached, turns governance into a battlefield where livelihoods become weapons. Rivers State narrowly avoided that descent. In doing so, it affirmed that institutions must outlive tempers, and governance must not mirror the bitterness of political seasons. This moment also invites sober introspection within the civil service itself. Allegations of partisanship, if left unresolved, corrode professionalism and weaken public confidence. A civil service that drifts into political camps loses its moral authority and operational effectiveness.

Therefore, reform, where necessary, should be guided by due process, transparency, and institutional review—not whispers, witch-hunts, or mob verdicts. Accountability strengthens systems when it is fair; it destroys them when it is arbitrary. The restraint shown by the executive places a corresponding burden on administrative leadership to restore discipline, neutrality, and pride in public service. For the wider political class and the commentariat, the episode serves as a caution against normalizing cruelty as strategy. The eagerness with which some anticipated workers’ suffering revealed a dangerous appetite for scorched-earth politics. When governance becomes a spectator sport where pain is cheered and deprivation is weaponized, society inches toward moral exhaustion. Rivers State has seen enough turbulence to know that stability is not sustained by triumphalism, but by restraint.

The lesson is simple yet profound: power is fleeting, but institutions endure; leaders pass, but precedents remain. In the end, the payment of the 2025 Christmas bonus was more than a fiscal act—it was a civic statement. It told workers they were not expendable. It told political actors that revenge would not be policy. And it told the state that maturity in leadership is not weakness, but strength under control. In a climate where many expected fire, restraint prevailed; where bitterness was predicted, balance emerged. Thus, Rivers State was offered a rare reminder that governance, at its best, is an act of discipline, and leadership, at its highest, is the courage to rise above provocation.