Police need N1.13trn annually, IG begs NASS

By Taiye Odewale

Abuja

The Nigeria Police yesterday declared that, by conservative estimation, the security outfit needed nothing less than N1.13trillion for its overhead cost annually to enable it effectively carry out its fundamental duties of ensuring security, law and order across the nation.
The sum of N31.6 billion was earmarked for the Police overhead in the 2017 budget out of which a meagre N8billion has so far been released.
The N1.13trillion, according to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris who made the submission before the Senate Committee on Police Affairs yesterday during a one day public hearing on a bill seeking for establishment of Police Development Fund, is the current value of N506 billion recommended for that in 2008 by the late MD Yusufu-led Police Reform Committee.
He lamented that the Police, based on yearly budgetary provisions made for it, is grossly underfunded with attendant incapacitation in carrying out its fundamental duties of ensuring security, law and order across the federation.
Breaking down required overhead costs of the security outfit, the IG disclosed that, out of the N19.9billion required to fuel 14,306 vehicles and 3,115 motorcycles on yearly basis, only a billion naira can be set aside for that out of the meagre amount given.
This, according to him, also affected the kitting of about 300,000 personnel the security outfit has , which ordinarily supposed to be N14.58bn but in 2017 budget , only N1.7bn was earmarked for that and even not fully released with attendant improper kitting of men and officers of the Force.
He therefore supported the passing of the bill into law, saying “Police Trust Fund Bill will definitely serve as the needed solution to the problem of under funding incapacitating the force.”
“There is close nexus between security and development and It is our belief that once the Police is adequately funded , the problem of insecurity in the country would be effectively tackled and once there is security , required development in the country would be achieved,” he said.
Other stakeholders at the public hearing also supported the bill like
officials of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) who submitted that, since the bill seeks to raise the fund from 1 per cent of consolidated revenue fund of the federal government pending amendment to the nation’s constitution, it would not in any way violate any existing law.
However, the chairman of the committee, Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina South) and members told the gathering that, for the purposes of accountability, the trust fund to be gathered for the Force would not be centralised but directly wired to state and local Police formations.

 

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