News
Bill to establish state police passes 2nd reading at Reps
A Bill for an act to establish State Police and other Related Matters thereto, has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bill which will alter provisions of the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment, was sponsored by Rep. Benjamin Kalu and 12 others.
Leading the debate at plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, Kalu who also presided, said in recent times, the nation’s collective security had been greatly challenged due to upsurge in insecurity cases.
He said Nigeria operated a federation consisting of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 774 Local Government Areas, and about 250 ethnic nationalities, and more than 200 million citizens.
Kalu said Nigeria has a vast terrain, spanning over 920,000 square kilometers but regretted that currently, the nation operated a single centralised police system that employed less than 400,000 police officers and men.
He said there was no denying that the nation’s security architecture was under immense pressure.
Kalu also pointed out that the fabric of any democracy remained woven with the threads of constant adaptation to the evolving needs of its society.
He added that at this point in our nationhood, state policing is not only inevitable but urgently desired to tackle the mounting challenges of insecurity.
According to him, the bill emerged as a necessary response to several calls for a decentralised and community-oriented approach to law enforcement.
“It seeks to navigate the complex landscape of security challenges by empowering our states with the means to address issues unique to their localities.”
He said the proposed alteration represented not just a legal adjustment to our constitution but a visionary leap toward a safer, more secure, and more harmonious Nigeria.
He said the bill sought the transfer of “police” from the “exclusive legislative list” to the “concurrent legislative list,” adding that the move would effectively empower states to have state-controlled policing.
He said the bill would also prevent unwarranted interference by the Federal Police in state police affairs, emphasising collaboration and intervention only under well-defined circumstances.
Contributing, Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC-Lagos), who observed that police should be empowered to license any state willing, that met the requirements for state police, set up by the Police Service Commission.
He said the commission should be empowered to revoke and renew the licenses if such a state abused the license, adding that state police would reduce unemployment and relieve the recurrent expenditure on the Federal Government.
On his part, Rep. Awaji-numbek Abiante (PDP-Rivers), noted that the bill would cure the tragedy of the military decree of 1966.
He, however, called for caution, saying, “we have to be careful and committed enough to look at the bill thoroughly because this was not the first attempt for such bill.”
He said the bill should provide a sure way of guaranteeing the security of lives and property, while underscoring the need for deliberate efforts toward making it a reality.
Rep. Ali Madaki (NNPP-Kano) noted that the bill was killed in the seventh Assembly but disclosed that the fear was to avert a situation whereby state governors would use the state police against political opponents.
He said there were high security challenges nationwide, adding that each state would deploy its police in a manner that would address their peculiarities.
Also speaking, Rep. Sada Soli (APC-Kano), said about 21 states, including Benue and Taraba were caught in the web of socio-political and ethno-religious crises and could surmount such challenges if they had control of their police.
He said some of the states clamoring for the establishment of state police were not economically viable.
He acknowledged that state policing remained a noble idea, while citing a scenario where a state governor denied a political opponent landing at the airport.
He argued that such a governor was capable of using the state police for negative purposes, and urged the lawmakers to put all issues into perspective before enacting the law.
Rep. Ademorin Kuye (APC-Lagos), argued that 400,000 policemen to 200 million Nigerians was insufficient.
He said that deployment of a police officer to a state he was not familiar with would make him inefficient and ineffective in discharging his duties.
Rep. Ben Itanabene (LP-Delta), called for the establishment of a distinct police structure but feared that the use of state police would be under the control of governors.
He urged the house to delete the word ‘state” from the bill while calling for decentralisation of the Federal Police by using Police Command.
Kalu, after listening to contributions, put the bill to vote, which was unanimously passed by the lawmakers.
Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has set up a committee to work out modalities for implementation of a new minimum wage for workers in the state’s civil service.
The committee is headed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei.
Other members included the Head of Service, Mrs Biobelemoye Charles-Onyeama, the Commissioner for Finance, Maxwell Ebibai, his Labour, Productivity and Employment counterpart, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Peter Akpe.
The committee has the end of May 2024 to submit its report.
Diri made the pronouncement on Wednesday at the 2024 Workers Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.
The governor assured that his administration would implement a new minimum wage once the committee submitted its report, adding that the state workers always have emoluments as their federal counterparts.
Diri stressed that the welfare of workers had always been a top priority of his administration as attested to by the numerous worker-friendly policies he initiated.
He equally promised to commence the building of a new befitting secretariat complex for civil servants to accommodate the increasing workforce.
The state’s helmsman, who described workers as the backbone of development in society, attributed the achievements in his first tenure to the support and contributions of civil servants.
He called for continuous harmonious working relationship with his government in order to bequeath lasting legacies.
The Bayelsa helmsman also approved an annual step increment for civil servants, release of funds for completion of the state secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“The committee is to immediately look into what the Federal Government has done on the proposed minimum wage and see the possibility of domesticating it in Bayelsa.
“It is given until the end of May to submit its report.
“My dear workers of Bayelsa, you have done so well. You know that you are the engine room of this government. We have succeeded because you have done so well. We receive commendations everywhere we go.
“In terms of infrastructure, human capacity building and other sectors, we have done well. I say you should continue to keep it up.”
According to him, together, we are building a Bayelsa of our dreams, a beacon of hope, a model of progress and a testament to our unity of purpose.
“The tangible evidence of these fruitful collaborations is that abundantly, we have made it clear for all to see in the plethora of transformative legacy projects that now span the length and breadth of our state, touching the lives of all Bayelsa people.
“Let us continue to work together so that the future of our state will be established.
“Beyond the ongoing renovation, we will look at the option of building a new state-of-the-art secretariat complex to accommodate the expanding workforce,” he said.
Earlier, the workers eulogised the governor for his labour-friendly policies that had improved their working condition.
In a joint address by the chairman of the NLC, Comrade Barnabas Simon, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Laye Julius, the workers specifically thanked the governor for approving payment of wage award to all categories of workers in Bayelsa.
“We thank you for the regular conduct of promotion exercises and implementation, prompt payment of salaries of workers and pensioners, among others.
“Organised labour in Bayelsa is most sincerely grateful for your kind and favourable disposition to the needs and aspirations of workers in the state.
“Your open-door policies and swift response to most of our demands in the last four years is highly appreciated,” they said.
They, however, appealed for an upward review of the wage award, improved transportation system for workers, and mapping out of acquired lands for civil servants.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said the Group Chief Executive Officer and founder of The Landmark Group, Paul Onwuanibe, cannot claim compensation from the Federal Government in connection with the demolition of structures for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Federal Government is currently demolishing properties along the shoreline to create a pathway for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Landmark Group, owners of the Landmark beach in Lagos State, is believed to be one of the organisations that will be highly affected by the demolition.
However, Umahi has insisted that infrastructures belonging to Landmark were spared, hence the owner can’t make claims on the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists, the minister said the beach was on the right of way and shoreline.
He said: “No claim for Landmark, we spared all his infrastructure, we don’t pay for the demolition of shanties because it is on our right-of-way, 15 meters from the shoreline, so he has no claim.
“We made all efforts to spare his infrastructure. The Landmark owner is acting like a politician, me I’m an engineer.
“While he does all the politics, I am an engineer, I’ll do the engineering work. I don’t know the attention he is seeking.”
Association urges FG to settle defunct Nigeria Airways pilots
Diri sets up committee on new minimum wage
2027: Bode George, other Lagos PDP leaders hold reconciliation meeting ,seek strong, united party chapter
Rt.briscoe, FBNH, Others halts negative performance of stock market
Court orders Sen. Victor Umeh to repay N136m bank debt to AMCON
UNDP, FG partnership needed to achieve inclusion, equity- Minister
-
capital market2 years ago
Rt.briscoe, FBNH, Others halts negative performance of stock market
-
Finance3 months ago
Court orders Sen. Victor Umeh to repay N136m bank debt to AMCON
-
Abuja Update2 months agoUNDP, FG partnership needed to achieve inclusion, equity- Minister
-
Abuja Update1 month ago
Banks drive stock market performance with N147bn gain
-
Business1 week ago
Tingo Group unveils Tingo Electric, Tingo Cola drink at Lagos launch
-
Health2 weeks ago
Capacity training will reduce migration of health workers- NPHCDA
-
News4 months ago
Oil thieves sponsoring malicious media campaign against Navy – Spokesman
-
Infotech1 month ago
World Backup Day: NITDA urges Nigerians to ensure backup of data
