PSC to Presidency: We Are Grossly Underfunded

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday raised concerns to the Presidency, stating it is grossly underfunded and incapable of effectively and efficiently executing its constitutional mandate of police recruitment, promotion, and discipline.
The Commission also revealed that divergent interests are attempting to hijack its mandate, thereby diluting its efficiency and effectiveness.
The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (Rtd), expressed his frustration during a visit by a Presidential delegation led by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, to the Commission’s headquarters for an engagement meeting with its leadership.
A statement by the spokesperson of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, stated that the Presidential delegation was at the Commission to identify areas of support required for effective service delivery.
He noted that Argungu, who led the Commission’s team, told the visitors that the Commission is currently faced with the twin challenges of inadequate funding and persistent, surreptitious attempts to hijack its mandate.
Argungu said the Commission is committed to leveraging its established policy of accountability and transparency to build a Police Force prepared for 21st-century policing.
He highlighted the inadequacy of staff returns from the Nigeria Police Force, institutional conflicts, limited nationwide presence, inadequate funding, and a public trust deficit as areas in which the Commission requires support from the visiting team.
According to him, “One of the key problems the Police Service Commission is facing is unnecessary interference with its constitutional and statutory mandate. The Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit should assist the Commission in fending off these interlopers and ensure we are allowed to do our work.”
The Chairman stated that the envelope budgeting system, which imposes a ceiling on budget allocations, limits funding for the Commission’s core functions.
Argungu recommended “an independent budgeting system for the Commission that allows it to submit its budget directly to the Presidency. The PSC Act of 2001, Section 15(1), mandates the Commission to submit its estimate of expenditure and income for the succeeding year no later than 30th September of each year to the President.”
Responding, the leader of the visiting delegation, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, pledged to ensure that the Commission is empowered to execute its constitutional mandate.
“We will review your mandate and ensure that you are allowed to carry out your work. We will address the bottlenecks, and we will ensure that the PSC stands alone and is not treated as an attachment to any Ministry,” she said.
She added that the objective of the visit was “to strengthen the collaboration between the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Police Affairs, and to clarify the role of the PSC in the achievement of the Presidential Priority Area on Strengthening National Security for Peace and Prosperity.”