The Federal Government says it is committed to addressing the funding challenges while strengthening the autonomy of the Police Service Commission, noting that necessary steps were being taken to ensure that the Commission delivers on its mandate without external interference.
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman made the pledge when she led a presidential delegation to the PSC on Monday in Abuja.
“We will look at your mandate and ensure you are allowed to do your work. We will de-bottleneck the problems and we will have a PSC that stands alone and not an attachment of any ministry,” she said.
She said the visit was part of efforts to clarify the PSC’s role in the administration’s security agenda and to ensure greater collaboration between the commission and the Ministry of Police Affairs.
In response, the Commission lamented the persistent attempts by vested interests to hijack its constitutional mandate of recruitment, promotion, and discipline in the Nigeria Police Force.
The Commission in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Ikechuwuku Ani, said beyond the Commission’s perennial funding challenges, unnecessary interference from outside interests had worsened its difficulties.
“The commission is grossly underfunded and incapable of effectively and efficiently executing its constitutional mandate of police recruitment, promotion and discipline.
He called for an independent budgeting process, as provided under Section 15(1) of the PSC Act, 2001, which allows the commission to submit its expenditure estimates directly to the President.
“The envelope budgetary system creates a ceiling in the budgeting process, thereby limiting funding to the core functions of the commission.”
