Stakeholders Renew Push for Implementation of Police Trust Fund Act

Kingsley Nwezeh

Following identified gaps in the implementation of the Police Trust Fund Act, stakeholders have renewed calls for the federal government to adhere to the provisions of the act in its implementation.

The position followed crises that rocked the take-off of the fund and power tussle between the management and the board over procurement of N11 billion equipment which landed some officials of the NPTF at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), among other issues.

However, stakeholders have argued that two years after its take-off, NPTF, with a life span of six years, could function more effectively.

A stakeholders’ meeting organised recently by the Rule of Law And Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and over 20 other CSOs operating in the North-central Zone and the FCT, two resource persons, Nkiru Uzodi, Programme Manager at Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director at Centre for Transparency Advocacy, respectively, took participants through the provisions of the Police Act and the PTF Act. They pointed out challenges in the implementation of the reforms to include lack of strict adherence to effective implementation of the provisions of the Acts by persons and institutions charged with the responsibility to do so.

In her presentation, Nwadishi stressed that the PTF Act which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 24, 2019 as Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act 2019 spelt out major goals to increase Nigerian Police overall efficiency.

She disclosed that Sections 26-30 details how NPTF should be funded adding that the funding was to carry out three major projects, notably, to provide funds for the training and retraining of police personnel, provision of state of the arts security equipment, increase the overall wellbeing and preparedness of personnel.

She emphasised that the three major planks upon which N PTF was set up was to aid the overall goal of policing.

“There are contentious parts of the trust fund one of which is the withdrawal of 0.05 percent from revenue accruing to the federation account to fund the trust fund. The federation account is not solely owned by the federal government. The states and local governments also have a share in it. The constitution did not mandate the federal government to administer the federation account on behalf of the states and local governments,” she argued.

Nwadishi pointed out that the fund stipulates that the 0.005 percent of net profit accruing to companies doing business in Nigeria, should go to the trust fund, meanwhile it is clear that businesses are already overtaxed including the one for Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund.)

She added: “All over the world monies from trust fund is exempted from taxation.”

However, other parts stipulate that the NPTF is also for improvement of effectiveness of the force, purchase of equipment and machinery for the men in uniform, construction of police stations, purchase of books, payment of bills for conferences attended by Nigerian Police personnel and any other purpose.

In his remarks, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Advocacy Center (RULAAC), Mr. Okechukwu Nwangwuma, said Civil Society Organisations – Police Trust Fund (CSO-PTF) Support and Oversight Group would drive a vigorous and sustained public awareness campaign across the six geo-political zones on the purpose and existence of the Police Act and the Police Trust Fund Act, adding that the group will hold zonal and bi-monthly meetings in order to assess the performance of the NPTF across Nigeria.

A statement from the Press and Public Affairs of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund

Before the establishment of the Nigeria police trust fund a public hearing was conducted where citizens gave their inputs on how the fund should be set up and given its importance in assisting the Nigeria police force to secure the country.

From inception to date,the Nigeria Police Trust Fund NPTF has succeeded in achieving the following.

Procurement of 200 units of operational vehicles which were recently commissioned and handed over to the police by President Muhammadu Buhari

Procurement of medical equipment, drugs worth 529 million naira as well as COVID-19 kits amounting to 358 million naira which have since been handed over to police authorities and distributed to police health facilities across the country, as part of the effort to improve the police health sector.

It also purchased arms and ammunition as well as other weapons for the special weapons and tactical squad.

This year, attention will be focused mainly on infrastructure where new barracks, police stations, and training institutions will be built, while the dilapidated structures will be given a facelift.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Press and Public Affairs of the NPTF noted that before the establishment of the trust fund,a public hearing was conducted where citizens gave their inputs on how the fund should be set up and given its importance in assisting the Nigeria police force to secure the country.

“From inception to date, NPTF has procured 200 units of operational vehicles which were recently commissioned and handed over to the police by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Procurement of medical equipment, drugs worth N529 million as well as COVID-19 kits amounting to N358 million which have since been handed over to police authorities and distributed to police health facilities across the country, as part of the effort to improve the police health sector.”

“It also purchased arms and ammunition as well as other weapons for the special weapons and tactical squad.

“This year, attention will be focused mainly on infrastructure where new barracks, police stations, and training institutions will be built, while the dilapidated structures will be given a facelift.”