Segun Atanda/
Police authorities appeared not prepared to pay the new salary ordered by the Federal Government before President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed NewsmakersNG’s exclusive report on the approved increment.
As officers became anxious to know the details and receive the new pay, after NewsmakersNG broke the news on November 8, the authorities issued a signal to all police formations describing the report as fake news.
But President Muhammadu Buhari validated NewsmakersNG’s story and rubbished the signal when he announced on November 28 that he had actually ordered an increment in police salary as reported.
Twenty-Eight days earlier, on October 31, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, had been informed of the Presidential approval in a memo from the Office of the Executive Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes & Wages Commission, High Chief Richard Onwuka Egbule.
In the memo, High Chief Egbule conveyed the Presidential “approval for the Nigeria Police Force to implement the New Salary Grading/Ranking Structure, the Consolidated Police Salary Structure and the Rent Subsidy…”
The memo sighted by NewsmakersNG specifically stated: “This approval takes effect from November 1, 2018 and will be funded from the treasury as already indicated in the Presidential approval.”
In spite of the memo and the subsequent report by NewsmakersNG, the nationwide signal issued by the police before Buhari’s confirmation warned officers not to believe the story about salary increment.
The signal says: “Attention has been drawn to fake and mischievous news in circulation which did not emanate from NIGPOL PAB. Personnel are advised to discountenance this dangerous virus.
“The Federal Government approved the restoration of original rank structure adjustment for the Force. W.E.F 1/11/2018. One-Day Training Seminar was held for PAYMECH, ACCOUNTPOL, AUDITPOL on Wednesday 14/11/2018 on the issue, which is before the Federal Ministries of Budget and National Planning, Finance for inclusion in the 20I9 Federal Budget Proposal. Note that the fake information in circulation is an attempt by mischievous, irresponsible personnel to incite our officers and men. Any personnel aligning himself with such fake news is doing so at his own peril.
“INGENPOL directs Commands and Formations to make this a subject of lecture. Treat as very urgent and very important please.”
But the signal appeared not in tune with a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on November 28, after the President received the IGP and a delegation from the Police Service Commission led by Justice Clara Ogunbiyi, who represented the Chairman, Mr Musiliu Smith on a Thank You visit.
Shehu stated that while speaking during an audience in State House, Abuja with members of the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force on a “Thank You” visit following his approval of Rank Salary Structure Adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen will be increased, President Buhari regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime, had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country.
According to the President, “From Taraba to Sokoto, to the South-South, people don’t feel secure until they see the military. I am pleased to make the increase in salary and allowances in the hope that it will increase the performance index of the police and strengthen Nigeria’s internal security system.
“President Buhari observed that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be.”
As shown in the video below, Buhari’s declaration was welcomed with wild jubilation among policemen.
Going by the Presidential directive that the approval of the salary increment should take effect from November 1, indicating that policemen will have a merry Christmas, officials at the police pay office, however, told NewsmakersNG that they were not able to accommodate the new arrangement because they had prepared November salaries before the message was communicated.
The November 28 pronouncement by the President and the earlier memo to the IGP indicated that the new salary arrangement was a done deal, but the police signal appears to imply that it is still a work in progress and the materialisation might depend on the 2019 budget approval.
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