Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Hundreds of retirees from the Edo State Civil Service, under the state's Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), staged a peaceful protest at the Edo State House of Assembly on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, demanding an immediate exit from the scheme and a return to the old Defined Benefit Scheme. The protesters, many of whom had served the state for over three decades, lamented that they were receiving monthly pensions as low as N7,000 and N10,000, amounts they said were grossly inadequate to meet basic living needs in the face of rising inflation and economic hardship.
The retirees, who stormed the premises of the Assembly, 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," and "Exit us from CPS." The protest was led by the group's Chairman, Andrew Asemota, who told lawmakers that he retired at Grade Level 16 but receives only N43,000 monthly as pension, while many of his colleagues receive even less. "We are retirees from the Edo State Civil Service under the state's Contributory Pension Scheme. 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.
Asemota explained that the retirees were employed when Edo State was still part of the old Bendel State and had never signed any agreement to be enrolled in the Contributory Pension Scheme. He noted that former Governor Godwin Obaseki enacted the CPS law in 2017, pushing them into the scheme when many of them had already served between 28 and 30 years. "Most of us were at the twilight of our career when the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki came on board and enacted this controversial Contributory Pension Scheme. No law is supposed to be retroactive. A law cannot be enacted today and said it should take effect from about five years back," Asemota argued.
The retirees appealed to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yekini Idaiye, to intervene and prevail on Governor Monday Okpebholo to repeal the CPS and return them to the Defined Benefit Scheme. Asemota drew a parallel to the police force, which is also fighting to be exempted from the Contributory Pension Scheme. He expressed confidence in Governor Okpebholo's promise to correct the wrongs of the past administration, saying, "Our governor is a listening governor. There's no doubt about that. He said when he came on board that he was coming to right the wrongs of the past government. And that's what he actually has been doing."
Asemota also highlighted the financial injustice some retirees have suffered, stating that some received only N1.5 million for 35 years of service, combining both monthly pension and gratuity. "Some time ago, we wrote a letter to the Majority Leader, seeking an audience that he would address us. But up to now, nothing came out of it. So, we just came here today to appeal to the House of Assembly to help us see that we are moved from CPS to DBS," he said.
In response, Speaker Yekini Idaiye commended the retirees for their peaceful protest and assured them that he would convey their grievances to Governor Okpebholo. He advised the protesters to remain law-abiding while expressing their grievances. The protest underscores the growing frustration among civil servants who feel trapped by a system they did not choose, with many former workers who spent decades serving the state now struggling to survive on pensions that have been rendered almost worthless by inflation. As one retiree put it, "We can't survive on N7,000. We need the government to hear our cry."
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