The training of the inter-agency committee to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the remuneration and conditions of service of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) commenced on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the training programme is being anchored by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).
The Programme tagged ‘Training Programme of Inter-Agency Committee on ‘Monitoring and Evaluation of the Implementation of Approved Allowance and Off-setting of Outstanding Pension Arrears, Death Benefits and Other Related Matters’ of the NPF.
Ekpo Nta, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, NSIWC, said the programme was to train all the selected inter-agency participants in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the remuneration and conditions of service of the NPF.
Nta said it would be recalled that the Federal Executive Council(FEC) on Dec. 15, 2021, approved the allowances, payment of outstanding death benefits, etc, to the NPF.
‘You will recall
that as a fallout of the #End-SARS protests in October 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari requested the NSIWC to expedite action on the review of the remunerations of NPF.
‘The NSIWC undertook in-depth nationwide studies of the issues relating to the remunerations and conditions of service of the NPF through open and informal interactions with various stakeholders including the top hierarchy rank and file of the NPF.
‘Also, the Ministry of Police Affairs, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget Office of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
‘The commission during the assignment, obtained detailed information on the NPF budget requests, approved appropriations and actual disbursements for a period spanning ten years. It also looked at conditions of service and other related matters.’
He said all of the commission’s detailed recommendations were approved by the FEC at its meeting on Dec. 25, 2021, with an effective commencement date of Jan. 1, 20
22.
Nta said some highlights of the approvals included an increase of the rent subsidy, a review of shift duty/supervision allowance for all entitled police personnel, a new peculiar allowance, and tax waivers for all junior police personnel as enjoyed by the military,
He said others are payments of outstanding death benefits for the uninsured period of 2013 to Aug. 24, 2021, not covered under the Group Life Assurance.
‘Others are the payment of outstanding benefits to entitled personnel for the uninsured period of 2013 to 2020 not covered under the Group Personal Accident Insurance.
‘ Payment of outstanding burial expenses of personnel for the period from January 2012 to July 2021 and priority payment of future Group Life Assurance premium in future budgets to cover immediate payment of death benefits to beneficiaries
‘Priority payments of annual insurance premiums for Group Personal Accident Insurance to cover immediate payment of benefits to beneficiaries; and Property Insurance to provide cover for t
he repairs/replacement of damaged police infrastructure.
‘Government insisted that the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning engage with the NPF to work out a realistic annual overhead budget that would enable them to pay approved non-regular allowances.’
The chairman said it was also approved for NSIWC to examine and present recommendations in respect of retirement benefits (pension and exit packages) for the NPF and other related agencies.
He added that NSIWC was also to institute a mechanism for the regular monitoring of the payment of salaries and allowances of the NPF through electronic and physical platforms in line with extant regulations and conditions of service.
‘ Today marks the commencement of the exercise to train all the selected inter-agency participants in the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the approvals. ‘
Nta said the training programme was approved by FEC for the commission to monitor and evaluate the outcome of all the approvals.
‘We have given
time to implement this approval and the training session we will have from today will be a nationwide monitoring to see the outcome.
‘We will speak to all layers of people involved to ensure if these approvals have not been implemented we want to know why and if we know why we can now provide answers.
He called on the personnel of the NPF who were members of that committee, the Police Service Commission and the Ministry of Police Affairs to be diligent and honest in their evaluation.
‘This is because it affects the lives of human beings that operate the security architecture of our country. We need to be serious about this exercise. ‘
The Inspector- General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun, thanked the NSIWC on behalf of NPF for their efforts in ensuring the exercise was achieved.
Egbetokun, represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Arotu Pere, said he believed the commission would do even more for the NPF.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria