The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head, Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman on Monday vowed to work to ensure the Police Service Commission (PSC), is allowed to execute its constitutional mandate.
Bala Usman gave the assurance when she led a strong delegation on an engagement meeting with the leadership of the Commission to identify areas of support required for effective service delivery by the Commission.
She said, “We will look at your mandate and will ensure you are allowed to do your work. We will de-bottleneck the problems and we will have a PSC that stands alone and not an attachment of any Ministry.
The presidential aide said the objective of the working visit; “is to strengthen the collaboration between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Police Affairs and clarify the role of PSC in the achievement of the Presidential Area on Strengthening National Security for peace and prosperity.”
Chairman of PSC, DIG Hashimu Argungu (rtd) who led the Commission’s team, told the visitors that the Commission is presently faced with the twin problems of inadequate funding and unending and surreptitious attempt to hijack its mandate.
Arugungu noted that the Commission is grossly underfunded and incapable of effectively and efficiently executing its constitutional mandate of Police recruitment, promotion and discipline, adding that this anomaly is also worsened by a struggle by different and divergent interests to hijack its mandate and dilute its efficiency and effectiveness.
He said the Commission is committed to leverage on its established Policy of accountability and Transparency, to herald a Police Force ready and prepared for 21st Century policing.
He mentioned inadequacy of staff returns from the Nigeria Police Force, institutional conflicts, limited nationwide presence, inadequate funding and public trust deficit as some of the areas of support the Commission requires from the visiting team.
According to him, “One of the key problems the Police Service Commission is facing is unnecessary interference into its Constitutional and statutory mandate” adding that the Central Result Delivery Coordination Unit should assist the Commission fence off these interlopers and ensure that the Commission is allowed to do its work.
According to a statement issued by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, the PSC Chairman complained on the envelope budgetary system which ” creates a ceiling in the budgeting process thereby limiting funding to the core Functions of the Commission.
Argungu recommended “an independent budgeting system for the Commission that gives it the ability to submit its budget directly to the Presidency noting that ” the PSC act of 2001 Section 15(1) mandates the Commission to submit its estimate of expenditure and income during the next succeeding year, not later than 30th September in each year to the President. “
The PSC team at the Meeting included Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, JSC retired, Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary, DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission.
