The sum of N11,352,457,101.70 was approved by the senate as budgetary provision for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) in respect of the 2020 fiscal year.
This is coming after a consideration of the harmonized report of the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Police Affairs.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Halliru Jika, who presented the report of the Joint Committee, said that it would be the first budget of the NPTF, since it was established in 2019.
Details of the budget showed a projected income of N34,984,314,243 and N11,354,457,101.70 earmarked for capital expenditure.
Jika, however, explained that the balance of N23,631,857,141.30 will be carried over to the 2021 budget of the NPTF.
Jika further noted that the purchase of utility vehicles in the budget was replaced with procurement of the Covid-19 protection kits for Police personnel amounting to N358,379,191.00; and the sum of N533,894,117.70 earmarked for the procurement of drugs and medical equipment.
According to Jika, “Only the 0.5 per cent of the total revenue accrued to the federation account and 0.5 per cent of the total VAT were remitted to the NPTF Account, adding that other sources of revenue as prescribed in the NPTF Establishment Act were yet to make any remittances.
He urged the NPTF to expedite action on the implementation of the 2020 budget in order to meet up with the April 30, 2021 deadline.
While responding, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said the approval of the NPTF budget would help the police to increase their capacities and provide improved services across the country.
“This is one of the benefits of what we have passed here – the Police Trust Fund – and I’m sure that the National Assembly will continue to support our security agencies for optimal performance,” Lawan said.
Also yesterday, the Senate confirmed the appointment of Prof. Larry Obinna Collins Chukwu (South-East) as Commissioner of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission.
The confirmation of the nominee was sequel to the consideration of the report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, while presenting their report, recalled that the nominee’s appointment was made by President Muhammadu Buhari pursuant to Section 2(1) and (2) of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission Act, Cap. N118, Laws of the Federation of Nigerians, which empowers the President in subsection (1) to appoint four Commissioners and designate one of them as the Chairman.
According to Bamidele, the appointment of the nominee also satisfies the requirements of the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as amended.
