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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has summoned Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, over non-implementation of the 20 per cent upward review of salaries of policemen as approved by the Federal Government.
Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Usman Bello-Kumo, issued the summon, yesterday, during a public hearing on three bills aimed at enhancing operations of the Nigeria Police.
Also summoned are the Chairman of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, and the Director General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.
The lawmaker noted that it was imperative for the committee to meet with the relevant government officials and agencies to know why the upward review of the remuneration of police personnel has not been implemented.
According to him, there is need to have a Police Force that is well motivated to discharge its constitutional duties, especially in view of rising security challenges nationwide.
“It is so pathetic that today in the country hoodlums and criminals are about to take over the entire security architecture of this country. It is not news and it is not something that is not in the public domain. The attack on the airport, the attack on our rail. All these are attributed to lack of synergy and intelligence sharing by security agencies,” Kumo said.
Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali, while speaking at the public hearing, lauded efforts by the National Assembly to amend the Police Act 2020, the Firearms Act among others.
Aikali, who was represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sanusi Lemu, said the proposed legislations would deepen police reforms and re-position the Force for optimal operational output.
“Policing all over the world is an intelligence-driven enterprise. Unfortunately, although Nigeria Police is recognised as the lead agency in internal security, we are yet to, nearly after 180 years of existence, have a training institution with the requisite legal status that can drive the capacity development process of the Force at both the operational and strategic levels.
“This gap is even more impactful considering the current security realities in the country. This informed the establishment of the Police Intelligence Institute, Share. Unfortunately, despite the existence of the physical structures, the institution is yet to commence academic activities due largely to the absence of the requisite legal framework.
“The Bill for an Act to establish the Nigeria Police Intelligence Institute is, therefore, critical to the take off of this initiative as it would give legal backing to the reforms agenda of the police, particularly in relation to the entrenchment of the professional culture of intelligence led policing and the development of the capacity of the officers of the Force and other sister agencies.”
