Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Even as some major ethnic groups and stakeholders are clamouring for restructimg of the country, Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha believes the Police Trust Fund(PTF) should also be considered as another case study of restructuring.
He is of the opinion that the PTF should be restructured in such a way that good-spirited individuals can also make Contributions to the fund to enable it achieve the purpose for which it was established in the first place.
Governor Okorocha stated this when the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House , Owerri at the weekend.
The governor also noted that Nigerians have every reason to Celebrate the Policemen in the Country who have done well despite the limited resources available to them.
He said that “The Police Trust Fund (PTF) should be encouraged. Constitutionally, Police Personnel are not allowed to donate money or collect money from individuals, but there could be a way to restructure PTF so that good-spirited individuals can also support, because the Police is underfunded by every classification or category of human understanding. This is why we have decided in the Governors’ Forum that there is need to support the Nigeria Police”.
“More often than not, when we see Policemen we feel they are not doing anything. But just give yourself one day without police, then you will know how important the Police force is. In America for instance, the ratio is about 45 to 50 people to one policeman, but in Nigeria, it is one Policeman to 750 people”.
He Continued “We know what the Police is going through and most of us in this position share in the sympathy of the Police and we should encourage the Police to keep doing their best. The Nigerian Police has done well inspite of the limited resources available to them”.
According to him “We are quick in judging our leaders for what have not been done, but we don’t praise them for what have been done. And this is where I would like to join leaders of Nigeria who understand the situation to Congratulate the Police and other Security Agencies in Nigeria. We must also agree that insecurity is a global Challenge”.
On the security challenge in his state, governor Okorocha said “Imo State is relatively crime-free because there is no society of mankind, not even in the most secured Cities of the world where you don’t have crime. Therefore we must agree that insecurity is a global Challenge”.
In his Speech, the IGP Mr. Idris said, the Nigeria Police would continue to work and liaise with the State Governors, traditional rulers and other Stakeholders on how best to ensure maximum Security across the nation, adding that the issue of Security is serious and the Contributions of all is key.
He said it is against the backdrop of the necessity of all hands being on deck on the issue of Security that the Security Summit in the geo-Political Zones is taking place, adding that, for the South-East Summit, Imo State was chosen, and for very Strategic reason.
“The Imo environment is friendly. I have toured States, but Imo is unique. The governor of the State is also patriotic. He believes in this Country. The Nigeria Police will continue to live up to its responsibilities and also requires the cooperation of all patriotic Nigerians”. Idris said.