The Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, 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.
Dingyadi 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 per cent as well the release of N1.2 billion for the payment of uninsured benefits.
According to him, the approval is in consonance with 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, adding, however, 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 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.
Continuing, the Polce 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 (yesterday) 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.
‘’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.
N1.12bn benefits
“Council has also approved the payment of the sum of N1.2 billion as payment of outstanding burial expenses of personnel period of January 2012 to 2021.
“Council graciously approved the annual insurance premiums of N750 million 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 N18.6 billion 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 and 20 per cent, amounting to N61 billion. Increase is 40 per cent of the Consolidated Police Salary Structure, CONPOST in the sum of N78.3 billion. That is to say an increase of about N16.4 billion.
6% shift duty allowance
“It has also approved payment of an additional six per cent 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 N10.30 billion with effect from 2022.
“Most importantly, government also approved payment of about 20 per cent 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 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 the President and the Federal Executive Council have vested in them.
“As a ministry, we will do whatever it takes to ensure we improve the performance and the relationship between the police and the public to ensure they justify this good gesture.
“This is very great history that has been achieved by the President and his administration.”
To be included in budget
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 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.
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“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 that the 20 per cent increase is the percentage of the total salary.
Fielding question on whether 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 that 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 in 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.’’
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.’’
Speaking on whether salary increment 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 (yesterday). 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.”
Asked if the increment will take effect in January 2022, the Finance Minister said: “No, it is not taking taking effect in January 2022. But the effective date is still January 2022. When all the problems are sorted out,. there will be supplementary budget to be sent to parliament.”
