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PSC partners UNDP, GS-Foundation on SSR

 

Police Reform is an integral facet of the Security Sector Reforms (SSR) aimed at promoting the effectiveness of policing and law enforcement in the country by repositioning and revitalizing the institutional, operational, reputational posture of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for optimal functionality.

The Commission as an agency of government, saddled with the responsibility of exercising oversight powers over the NPF has critical roles in line with its statutory mandate at ensuring Police reform in Nigeria.

Dr. Solomon Arase, Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC) made this assertions in his opening remarks at the retreat for Development of Strategic Plan for the Police Service Commission and Review of Police Regulation Workshop currently ongoing in Benin, Edo State.

In his words; “Critical decisions are, therefore, upon the shoulders of the Commission at this critical moment in our history, and we cannot afford to delay while the nation bears the brunt of a police force whose efficiency, responsibility and accountability in the management of internal security are yet to meet the people’s aspirations and yearnings”.

While declaring the retreat open Arase said; “This retreat is two-pronged. The first being the development of a Strategic Action Plan for the Police Service Commission; and the second is, the review of a draft Police Regulation, with special reference to addressing issues in the Nigeria Police Force. These two major agenda for this training workshop and retreat are mutually reinforcing to the core objective for the establishment of Police Service Commission, as provided in Section 6 of the Police Service Commission Act, 2001 which empowers the Commission to:Be responsible for the appointment and promotion of persons to offices (other than the office of the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force

“Dismiss and exercise disciplinary control over persons other than (the Inspector-General of Police) in the Nigeria Police Force.Formulate policies and guidelines for the appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of officers of the Nigeria Police Force;Identify factors inhibiting or undermining discipline in the Nigeria Police Force;Formulate and implement policies aimed at the efficiency and discipline to the Nigeria Police Force;Perform such other functions which in the opinion of the Commission are required to ensure the optimal efficiency of the Nigeria Police Force; and carry out such other functions as the President may from time to time direct.

Chairman PSC, Dr. Solomon Arase, (right), AIG Arungwa Nwazue, AIG Zone 5 Benin, (centre) and CP Mohammed Dankwara, CP Edo State Command, (left) at the opening ceremony of the two-day Retreat on Police Service Commission Strategic Plan Review going on in Benin Edo State.

 

He said the Commission must be focused with a strategic action plan if it must deliver on its mandate to the Nigerian people. “This, therefore, underscores the imperative essence of a strategic planning, and the importance of this retreat in the life of the Police Service Commission.

“A strategic action plan is a compendium of an articulated organizational goals, vision, and objectives tailored towards its optimal functionality, providing also ways of repositioning its future in the attainment of its mandate.

“Strategic planning, therefore, entails developing a vision for the institution; identifying strategic priorities; setting out goals and objectives; highlighting key initiatives to be taken; and coming up with an action plan for implementation. With this explanation, I am not in any doubt that we do not know the reason we are here, and the onerous task before us. Everyone is therefore implored to wear his/her thinking cap as we embark on this critical assignment of repositioning the Commission, by developing action template for its greater efficiency and effectiveness in the discharge of its statutory functions.

“There is no doubt that policing in our contemporary world finds itself at an important juncture, as emergent crimes continue to place enormous demands on the police on one hand, while the advent of information superhighway has brought the police to greater scrutiny and accountability on the other hand. The aggregation of these demands by the people, coupled with the challenges of insecurity in our present-day Nigeria, have continued to impugn on the ability of the police to effectively discharge their duties. Although, several attempts have been made over the years to reposition the Force to be more effective and responsive in the discharge of its responsibilities, as well as to gain and sustain public confidence and trust in the Police; these efforts, however, are yet to record expected outcomes, as the expectations of the people and performance of the police seem to be parallel.

“This has inarguably reinforced the call for police reforms in Nigeria, in order to make the police more responsive, responsible and accountable to the people.

“The advent of Police Act, 2020 is a remarkable milestone in the life of the Nigeria Police Force, as it was the first comprehensive reform of the Police legislation since the Police Act of 1943. The new Act, has, therefore, necessitated a consequential modification of the allied policy and operational instruments that guide the functioning of the Nigeria Police Force, such as the Police Regulations. This is crucial in bringing police operations and conduct in conformity with community expectations, and global best practices.

“A review of the Police Regulation has become imperative given that some aspects of its provisions have been overtaken by events, while some other contemplations and textual framing need to be neatly aligned with the strategic embrace of recent legal and policy framework on contemporary issues and realities of policing.

“Gladly, the UNDP has deployed huge resources at identifying and addressing substantive gaps as well as legal, ethical, and procedural concerns which have grown obsolete, discriminatory and inconsequential in modern day policing in the Police Regulation. The Sections affected are: 4, 42, 52, 118, 121, 122, 123, 124, 127, 128 and 271. In the course of this retreat, we are going to undertake a meticulous and holistic review of the draft Police Regulation by UNDP, with a view to updating and making it come in tune with the changing realities and demands of today’s policing. Section 138 of the Police Act, 2020 has empowered the Honourable Minister, Police Affairs not only to make Regulations, but also to regularly review Police Regulation, on the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police and in collaboration with the Police Service Commission.

“This of course underpins the importance of participations in this retreat drawn from these mentioned institutions and other relevant stakeholders in our internal security architecture” he stated.

The all-important workshop and retreat for the Directors of the Police Service Commission, Senior Police Officers and other eminent personalities drawn from Ministries of Police Affairs, Justice, Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria and Civil Society Organisations is
supported by the ‘’Supporting Police Reform Processes in Nigeria’’, a project led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Security Reform Foundation (GS-Foundation) through generous financial donations of the German Federal Foreign Office (FFO).

By Ajibola Adedoye

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