Segun Atanda/
Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Mike Okiro, has blamed the delay in approval of over 6000 policemen recommended for promotion on the unprecedented frosty relationship and misunderstanding between the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris and the leadership of PSC.
Fielding questions from Maupe Ogun and Chamberlain Usoh on Channels TV program – Sunrise Daily, today, Okiro who disclosed that close to 7000 policemen are on the list sent to PSC for promotions and special promotions described media reports on the exercise as rumours.
There were reports that the acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, suspended the exercise because of some irregularities.
Describing the over 6000 names on the list as unprecedented, and the special promotion list as questionable, Okiro said, “We have issues with the special promotion. We are not comfortable with it.”
On Idris’ relationship with the PSC, Okiro said, “Well, everybody has his own method. The IG, I presume is busy… I was Chairman of the Commission with MD Abubakar; I was with Suleiman Abba; I was Chairman with Solomon Arase. They were coming to the office each time we invite them. Idris never came to the office. Each time we invite him, he never came. Maybe the challenges are more than the rest other IGs.”
Pointing out that the IGP lacks understanding on some requirements for special promotions, Okiro said, “The PSC just issued guidelines to IG on how special promotions should be carried out.
“You cannot stop somebody from being active in his job. You cannot stop somebody from putting up gallant actions. Some people can get special promotions. There are certain things you can do to impress, even in the Civil Service, that Nigerians will clap for you; that this man is doing very well, he needs to be rewarded so that others can learn from that…
“You cannot put a blanket on special promotion. If somebody performs creditably, you can give special promotion. We are issuing a guideline to the IG on people who should qualify for special promotion. We are going to pass the guideline today.
“They brought this list of special promotions; we went through it. On some of them, we had to even write back to him (Idris) that these officers that the names are here, what have they done to deserve special promotion?”
Maupe asked if the special promotion has been abused, Okiro said, “I won’t say it has been abused. I will say maybe there is lack of understanding on the business of special promotion.”
On officers who have stayed 10 years on the rank where they are expected not to spend more than five years and their juniors are being promoted above them, Okiro said, “Proper things are being done. From now on, we are going to write. We’ll give him the guidelines, rules and regulations for special promotions. You can’t just wake up one morning and give special promotions.
Okiro, however, supported the promotion of Abba Kyari to DCP based on his gallantry.
He said, “Like Abba Kyari, who was promoted above his seniors and people clapped for him; there was no complain.
“Early this year or last year, we promoted some police officers; we are talking about corruption, these were police officers who recovered N5million from a bullion van. The money fell. They could have taken the money home, but they returned the money to government.
“There was a police officer who refused N20million bribe. There are special cases that deserve special promotions, not that somebody did a due job.”
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