Officers and the rank and-file of the Nigeria Police are to begin enjoying a new special pay structure from January next year.
To this end, the police high command has earmarked N129 billion for its personnel�s welfare in the 2007 budget. The acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, who broke the news to our correspondent on Thursday in Abuja, said the Federal Government had agreed to pay the special salary structure codenamed Consolidated Police Salary Structure.
Currently, the least paid policeman, a new constable, earns between N10,000 and N12,000 monhtly while sergeants get N15,000-N18,000, depending on the years of experience. However, the new proposal, which is currently with the Commissioner of Police (Budget), contains higher figures which were not made available to our correspondent.
However, Okiro said the police would start enjoying the new salary package from January 2008. Policemen were supposed to have started enjoying the new salary structure from January this year but Okiro said the money for the arrears was being delayed because of the crisis in the House of Representatives.
He also said he had instructed the various commissioners of police to prepare for the local government election in the remaining 35 states expected to conduct it soon. Two weeks ago, Ebonyi State conducted the local government poll.
Okiro said he told the commissioners of police that the local government election �is very important. Do not think that it will be easy although we may not encounter much problems as the election will not hold the same day. So, go and tell your men to be prepared for it. We may have to take policemen from one state to the other if that would help in the area of security.�
Our correspondent gathered that the police high command had placed an embargo on December vacation for police commissioners, who had been advised to proceed on holiday this month or forget it. Okiro also lamented that the police is still weak in intelligence gathering but expressed the hope that a proposed blueprint on the problem will address the situation. He, however, refused to give details of the blueprint or the new structure.
On the one-month ultimatum given to banks to purchase �acceptable bullion vans� to convey bulk cash, he said banks had asked for an extension till February 1, 2008. He said though the banks were appreciative of the ultimatum, they claimed that they needed time to procure the specific vehicle types recommended by the police.