*Assures every penny will be paid
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
The issue of delay in payment of 2023 election duty allowances to participating police officers and men in the last presidential and national assembly elections security across the country has been addressed by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, The DEFENDER reports.
This was as the Nigeria’s number one police officer, on Monday, met with managements of the defaulting Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) who, the police authorities said, were responsible for the payments delay.
Explaining this in a statement on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi conveyed the appeal of the IGP for the affected personnel to remain calm as the issue is being trashed and every penny will be paid.
He disclosed that all allowances that were due to participating officers were paid before the elections date of February 25.
He said even payment for the second tranche of the upcoming March 11 elections duty allowances commences today, Tuesday March 7.
He said, “in furtherance of the IGP’s passion to address the alleged delay or non payments of the police personnel election allowances, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc+, NPM, NEAPS, fdc, CFR, on monday 6th March, 2023, met with the managements of defaulting DMBs, who were responsible for the delay in payment of 2023 election duty allowances to Police personnel.
“According to the Police Accountant and Budgets Department, the banks have been credited as schedules of payment have been dropped with the banks even before the February 25 elections.
“So, we urge the affected officers to remain calm as every penny accrued to them will be paid,” he said.
“Even the commencement for the payment of the second tranche for the guber elections will be paid as from today Tuesday 7th February 2023,” Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force PRO, said in the statement dated 7th March, 2023.
Recall that the police had, on Friday March 3, smelt the antics of mischief makers in the unsubstantiated reports regarding the purported non-payment of allowances to personnel who participated in the election duty.
“We are not unaware of the antics of some mischief makers peddling false publications through their paid bloggers hellbent on dragging the Force in the mud for flimsy issues,” the police had said.
