By Omoniyi Salaudeen
The lawmaker representing Idemili North/South Federal Constituency in Anambra State, Hon Obinna Chidoka, has said that debate will commence on police procurement fund, a private member bill he sponsored, as soon as the House of Representatives resumes from its two-month annual recess.
The bill, which has scaled through the first reading at the plenary before the House embarked the annual recess, seeks to provide adequate funding for the procurement of law enforcement equipment for the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) towards effective protection of lives and property.
Hon Chidoka explained that Clause 1(a, b and c) of the bill “Provides that the Police Procurement Fund into which shall be paid such sums being one per cent deduction of monthly revenue allocations due to the federal, state and local governments; any other sums, from time to time, freely donated by other governments, international bodies, non-governmental organisations, private sector or accruing to the government and such sums as may be provided for the purpose of equipping the Police by the Federal Government.”
When passed into law, he said, the fund would be utilised for the procurement of body armour, ballistic vests, electronic surveillance equipment, armoured vehicles, helicopters, personal carriers, communication equipment, armaments and munitions and other law enforcement equipment; as well as renovations, training, welfare, motivation and enhancement of police performance.
The Board shall consist of the President, 36 state governors, the Chairman, Police Service Commission; the Inspector-General of Police; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as the Accountant General of the Federation.
