...as new salary takes effect January 2022
By Our Correspondent
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), has approved 20 percent upward review of salary for the police force with effect from January 2022.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister explained that the increased police personnel take-home pay by 20 percent of their present earning was one of the ways to improve the relationship between the force and the Nigerian populace.
He said the council also approved the review of police duty tour allowance and shift allowance to six percent, and as well, the release of N1.2 billion for the payment of uninsured benefits.
According to him, the approval was in consonance of President Buhari’s promise to enhance police personnel pay as demanded by #EndSARS protesters.
The Minister said that the sum of N13.128 billion was approved for outstanding death benefits for 5,472 police personnel.
He, however said that the payment would only commence after the Auditor General of Federation must have scrutinized it.
He also announced a tax waiver of N18.6 billion for the junior police personnel.
But the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said the upward salary review for the police was not captured in the 2022 Appropriations Bill.
She said the government could raise Supplementary Budget and send to the National Assembly for approval.
The Minister of Police Affairs said, "I'm particularly very happy today to inform Nigerians that the Federal Executive Council under the chairmanship of Mr. President, has approved, a review, and upgrading of the take home pay of police personnel in this country.
"You will recall that in October 2020, this country was rocked with EndSARS protests. Mr. President had to address the nation and appealed for calm after which he promised Nigerians that the salary of police officers will be reviewed and will be improved to enhance their take home pay in recognition of the services that they have been rendering to this country in areas of maintenance of peace and tranquility.
"So the Federal Executive Council today approved this proposal for the review of the salary which will take effect in January 2022. But we tried to avoid a situation where we deal with improving or reviewing the salary scales of police officers, but we have tried to create a situation where their take home pay will be enhanced through the improvement of issues such as duty tour allowance, which has been reviewed to six percent of the new take home pay and council has also approved payment of One billion, one hundred and twenty million, one hundred and twenty two thousand for the payment as outstanding benefits of personnel for uninsured period of 2013 to 2020 that has not been covered under the group personnel...
"It has also approved the release of thirteen billion, one hundred twenty seven million, nine hundred and senty two thousand two hundred and sixty nine naira for payment as outstanding death benefits of 5472 personnel with uninsured period of 2013 to August 2021, not covered under the Group Life Insurance."
He said, "Council has also approved the payment of the sum of 1.2 billion as payment of outstanding burial expenses of personnel period of January 2012 to 2021.
"Council has also graciously approved the annual insurance premiums of 750 million naira as well as payment of four billion, eight hundred and twelve million, five hundred thousand naira for the repairs and replacement of damaged police infrastructure in future budgets, starting from 2022
"Council has also approved a tax waiver in the sum of eighten billion, six hundred million for personnel, junior officers with the police, in order to increase their take home pay, this is going to take effect from October 2021.
"Similarly, government has also approved the increase of the current rent subsidy, which is currently between 15 to 20 per cent amounting to sixty one billion. Increase is 40 percent of the Consolidated Police Salary Structure, CONPOST in the sum of seventy eight billion three hundred million naira. That is to say an increase of about sixteen billion, four hundred million naira.
"It has also approved payment of an additional six percent shift duty allowance for officers on level 01 to 14 and the supervisors allowances for officers on level 15 and above. This will come out to about ten billion and thirty right million naira with effect from 2022.
"Most importantly, government also approved payment of about 20 percent of CONPOST, it is peculiar allowances to boost morale, and take home pay of Nigerian police. All these will be computed and salary structure will be brought up by the Salaries and Wages Commission which will be adopted by government as soon as possible.
"Similarly, most of these payments will only be effected when the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation reviews and verifies these figures for payment. It is thereafter that the Accountant General of the Federation will be directed to approve the payment.
"We can see that with this development now, Police will be earning a more attractive pay that will be commensurate with what they are doing. What we expect the police to do after this is to double their efforts and justify the confidence that Mr. President and the Federal Executive Council has vested in them.
"As a ministry we will do whatever it takes to ensure that we improve the performance and the relationship between the police and the public to ensure that they justify this good gesture.
"This is very great history that has been achieved by Mr. President and his administration."
Asked if the new salary structure was captured in the 2022 budget, he said, "It is known as peculiar allowance. It is a new allowance created to improve their take home pay.
" This question should have been directed at the minister of finance. Well, unfortunately I think the budget is going through final screening by the National Assembly. But we are going to work it out.
"But don't forget, even if we are not able to get it into the 2022 budget, the supplementary budget is going to come up at anytime. But we still have some work to do. The Auditor General has to audit all these liabilities to ensure that we are correct and that the figures that the committee that did the work gave is correct and the national planning and wages commission has to work out all these details to come up with…
"We already have a template of what it's likely going to look like but the commission has to go through again, to come up with the final timetables that will reflect the new changes that are going to be called a new salary package for the police.
"You are aware that their 2020 budget was only approved I think either in April, May last year. And we are now working on our 2021 budget. Almost all the procurement processes have been completed, and by the time contracts are awarded, you will begin to see a lot of things that the police trust fund is providing to the police. So they are on track and I think they are doing well."
He explained the 20 per cent
increase is the percentage of the total salary.
Fielding question on whether the retired officer would benefit from the salary adjustment, he said ,"retirees have something to look forward to, because some of their benefits are going to be paid. Like the dead benefits and a lot of other things that are for people who have retired.
"So they may likely enjoy part of this benefits after all, everybody is going to retire. So that's why we are trying to ensure thar we increase it for people who are here, so that by the time you retire you would also benefit from what has been given to you because it will be reflected into your pension package.
"We believe that what we have done for the police in this country deserves this kind of treatment and they are doing very well. Of course, you cannot perform effectively if motivation such as this one is not extended to you.
He explained that the Police Trust Fund Act provides for the provision of infrastructure, police equipment, training, and renovation and building other facilities.
"It has nothing to do with salary of the police. So, I want to assure you that the police trust is working on this. And if you go to the police headquarters now, you will see the vehicles and equipment that police trust fund has supplied for the 2020 budget."
Further asked whether the upward review will translate to better attitude of the police, he said, "Like I said, when you give a police officer a good salary, you will least expect him to stay on the road and start collecting N50 or N100 from road users.
"I think this is one of the ways that will improve the relationship between the public and the police. And like I said earlier on that we're working to ensure that we improve that relationship between the police and Nigerians.Police should be made to understand that they are working for the public and the public should also understand the police are on the road working for them."
Speaking on whether it was captured in the 2022 budget, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said, "this is not provided for in the budget. It just came to Council today. Like the minister said the Auditor General has been asked to review all of these computations that have been done to verify. It is for us to know exactly what needs to be paid. So if we have, we will go back to Parliament for supplementary budget."
Further asked whether it will take effect in January 2022, the Finance Minister said, "No, not taking taking effect in January 2022. But the effective date is still January 2022. When all the problems is sorted out there will be supplementary budget to be sent to the parliament."
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