MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
By Frank Oshanugor
Chairman of Police Service Commission (PSC) Alhaji Musiliu Smith has described funding of police reform as humongous and has called for adequate funding for the Nigeria Police Force to ensure a successful reform effort.
The former Inspector General of Police made the disclosure on Monday, while meeting with the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Delegation (Police Expert Mission) led by Hendrickson Dyean was in the Police Service Commission to find out how the Commission with its oversight Constitutional responsibility over the Police, was making inputs into the Presidential Police Reform Roadmap and how donors could also support the programme.
The Chairman noted that adequate funding of the Police as well as the Police Service Commission; the statutory civilian oversight body on the Nigeria Police Force will make the Police more efficient and effective.
He also noted that Police reforms should also include training and retraining of officers, provision of decent and comfortable barrack accommodation, effective mobility (Transportation) and provision of adequate quality weaponry. He said it should also accommodate efficient and effective communication gadgets, uncompromising recruitment process and good Police/community relations amongst others.
The PSC Chairman maintained that if all these requirements are put in place, crime prevention response rate by the Police will be swift, effective and efficient.
The EU leader who was also in company of Spirlet Nevd-Angic (SSR expert) and Kemi Okenyodo (Founder/Executive Director) Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative had promised to continue to partner with the Commission and support its efforts in the Presidential Police Reform Roadmap so as to improve the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force in handling the disturbing rate of insecurity in the country.
