Yet Another Committee – FG Sets Up 11-Man Committee to Probe Police Colleges’ Rot

In the Federal Government’s characteristic mode of setting up committees to probe almost every problem in the nation, it has set up an 11-man committee to probe the rot in Police Colleges.

This is coming after the Channels TV documentary which exposed the deplorable conditions in the Nigerian Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

As reported by The Nation, the committee will ascertain the amount of money appropriated for the Police to renovate and upgrade the Police institutions between 2009 and 2012 and has one week to submit its report.

The team will will be headed by the Director, Special duties in the Police Affairs Ministry. Other members of the committee are: Rep. of NPF-Vice Chairman; Director, Finance and Account-Member; Director, PID-Member; Director, PSD-Member; 3 Nos. Representatives of NPF-Member; Legal Adviser-Member; Head of Budget Division-Member; Head of Internal Audit-Member; Head of External Audit-Member and Secretary-PRS.

According to the report, the committee’s term of reference are:

•To ascertain the amount of funds appropriated by the Federal Government of Nigeria to the NPF for renovations/upgrade of the Nigeria Police Institutions between 2009 and 2012 and total donations received in the period under review.
•To examine the budget proposed/appropriated by NPF for the Training Institutions between 2009 and 2012
•To verify the utilisation of the appropriation to the NPF for the upgrade of facilities in the following Police Training Institutions.
-Detective College Enugu;
-PMF Training Schools Gwoza and
-Illa Oragun, ATS Training School, Nonwa Tai;
-Police Colleges Ikeja, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Oji-River, PTS Iperu.
•To ascertain if the Heads of the NPF Formations were regularly updating the NPF Management on the conditions of the Institutions between 2009 – 2012 and what actions were taken by the Management of NPF sequel to such;
•To examine the design and capacity of the institutions vis-à-vis the current number of intakes;
•To examine the current condition of infrastructure in all the NPF training institutions and make appropriate recommendations to Government;
•To consider any other matter relevant.

Most Nigerians are however not too happy with the news as they expected a more direct approach to solving this problems. Their grievance is premised on the fact that hundreds of committees have been set up to solve various problems in the nation without producing tangible results.

The Channels TV documentary was a startling revelation of the deplorable conditions in the Nigerian Police College, Lagos. Shortly after it was aired, President Goodluck Jonathan made an unscheduled visit to the College and many thought immediate steps would be taken to upgrade facilities at the College. It is hoped those steps would still be taken to  correct the situation there and in other Police Colleges and training schools nationwide.