By Adewole Kehinde
The budget is not just a collection of numbers but an expression of our values and aspirations – Jack Lew
The Nigeria Police Force’s budget preparation using a top-down approach leads to a lack of coherence in the budget process.
Other than salaries, the Nigeria Police budget represents a contribution to costs rather than an attempt to fund the Force.
For decades, the Nigeria Police has been plagued by poor funding, which has led to several problems.
These problems include inadequate training and poor working conditions; the Nigeria Police has poor public trust due to its inability to meet the needs of the public; the Nigeria Police cannot perform its expected roles due to a lack of funds; and the Nigeria Police has inadequate human resources, weak investigative and prosecutorial capacities, and poor relationships with communities.
A 2008 Presidential Committee on Police Reform headed by M.D. Yusuf recommended an estimated N2.8 trillion—or N560 billion annually—to effectively reform and transform the NPF over five years.
The Parry Osayande Committee constituted in 2012 echoed the recommendations of the 2008 committee, adding that police funding should be made a first-line charge or a special fund be created to accommodate the needs of the NPF.
The era of budget regimes for the Nigeria police, especially with the massive reforms being carried out by the IGP Egbetokun-led management team, should be over.
Budget regimes refer to the different systems or approaches that governments or organisations use to plan, create, manage, and monitor their financial resources.
It involves setting priorities for spending, allocating funds to various departments or projects, and ensuring that expenditures are in line with available resources.
Different budget regimes can vary in terms of their complexity, flexibility, and level of detail.
However, there are some potential disadvantages to being aware of budget regimes, including restrictive and limited flexibility in spending or adapting to unexpected expenses.
Also, constantly monitoring and sticking to a budget can cause stress and anxiety if not carefully managed. Setting overly ambitious budget goals may lead to frustration and disappointment if they are not reachable.
Considering the huge task at hand and Nigeria’s peculiarities, the police budget is still too shameful to boast about because many of their officers are still poorly paid.
After considering the above, I had to agree with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on the removal of the police from the envelope budgetary regime to ensure optimal performance and accurate funding projections.
I also agree with the IGP on the need for approval and creation of a Special Operations Account dedicated solely to national security emergencies and an increase in allocations for overhead and capital expenditure.
These accounts are often set up to ensure that funds are allocated and spent in a controlled manner, separate from the general operating budget.
The purpose of a special operations account is to track and manage funds earmarked for particular initiatives or activities effectively.
The Special Operations Account will assist the Nigeria police in security measures to protect sensitive information and transactions.
It will also provide a higher level of service, security, and customisation to meet the specific requirements of account holders with unique financial needs.
I am calling on the National Assembly to remove the Nigeria Police from the regime budget, as this would enable greater flexibility and ensure the availability of funds to manage the force more effectively.
Additionally, I join the IGP in calling on the National Assembly to allocate funds for the construction of five new zonal headquarters with supporting tactical units critical to internal security.
Furthermore, to improve capacity building, special funding lines for police training institutes must be approved quickly.
In conclusion, the timely and complete disbursement of budgeted money in 2025 is necessary for the efficient operation of the entire force.
Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com. @kennyadewole
