News Editor
THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday approved a 20 per cent 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.
The council also approved the review of police duty tour allowance and shift allowance to six per cent, and as well, the release of N1.2 billion for the payment of uninsured benefits.
Besides, he said that FEC approved the sum of N1.2 billion for the payment of outstanding allowances.
According to him, the approval was 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.
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 personal between GradeLlevels one to Grade Levels 14
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 a Supplementary Budget could be raised and sent it to the National Assembly for passage.
However, some observers argued that this is a strategic move against the rumour going round that the government has said it might not be able to pay November and December salaries, a claim the government through the Head of Service of the Federation has debunked.
(Vanguard)
