‘PPP required to adequately fund police operations’

…As NPTF laments poor budgetary allocations

A workable public-private partnership (PPP) has been identified as an effective means of addressing funding challenges faced by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF).

James Sule, permanent secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs, made the assertion at an official briefing with the NPTF management, led by Muhammad Sheidu, executive secretary, in Abuja on Monday.

According to Sule, key issues such as police training and the provision of equipment, which are essential for enhancing the performance and responsiveness of the police force in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges, must be prioritised.

“We must be proud of ourselves in discharging our duties and doing the right things. Nobody will come from outside to turn the situation around.

“Everything starts and ends with leadership; in our roles, we are all leaders, and we must not work in isolation but rather collaborate to ensure effective and efficient service delivery within the police ecosystem”, Sule stated.

He further noted that a conducive working environment was crucial for the Nigeria Police Force to perform optimally.

The PS, in a statement by Bolaji Kazeem, deputy director of the information and public relations in the ministry, acknowledging the current public perception of the police and civil servants as less than favourable, Sule urged the NPTF and its stakeholders to strive for a change in attitude, emphasising the importance of better engagement with citizens.

Earlier in the meeting, Muhammad Sheidu, NPTF executive secretary, provided an update on the agency’s progress, noting the full implementation of the 2020 and 2021 capital projects in accordance with the 2007 Procurement Act.

He also reported that the police training programmes for 2022 and 2023 have been executed.

However, Sheidu highlighted several challenges facing the NPTF, including inadequate budgetary provisions since the agency’s inception in 2019, and delays in the release of capital appropriations, which have hindered the timely execution of the Trust Fund’s activities.

He also pointed out that the allocation of 0.5 percent of the total revenue from the federation account and the irregular and insufficient release of the 0.005 percent levy from companies’ net profits to the NPTF are contributing factors to the funding shortfall.

Sheidu said that the NPTF was engaging relevant stakeholders to explore collaborative opportunities.