New Funding for Police: FEC
FEC Approves Joint FG, State, LG Funding For Police
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a draft White Paper recommending a joint funding of the police by the three tiers of government.
By Chesa Chesa, Snr State House Correspondent, Abuja
Daily Independent 16th Jan 2009
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a draft White Paper recommending a joint funding of the police by the three tiers of government.
The Federal Government says it cannot solely fund the police comprising 371,000 officers.
However, this plan is to be presented to the National Council of State (NCS) and the National Economic Council (NEC) for endorsement after harmonisation while legislative backing is sought.
The decisions are part of the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on Police Reform.
The panel, constituted in January last year, was headed by former Inspector General of Police (IG), Muhammed Dikko Yusuf.
Its recommendations are expected to be implemented over the next five years.
Information and Communications Minister, Dora Akunyili, told journalists after the FEC meeting that other recommendations included provision of cost effective, more efficient and standardised communications equipment and arms and ammunition as well as better recruitment, retraining, and welfare.
The joint funding will factor in private sector donations, and as she put it, "We want all these funding to be harmonised and that the resources should be deployed effectively so that we aggregate what each tier of government is giving.
"Data keeping is also important. For instance, we should have the data of cars the police have."
The FEC also directed IGP Mike Okiro to immediately withdraw policemen attached to unauthorised individuals, and for the Information Ministry to liaise with him to publish a list of public officers and individuals entitled to police orderlies and armed escorts.
Akunyili said the measure will put the 371,000 police officers into better use, since Nigeria hasn't enough policemen to effectively police the country.