Christopher Oji
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has said that he has presented new tricycles and motorbikes to officers in Lagos Zone 2 through the Nigeria Police Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
The commissioning and flag off of the distribution of tricycles and motorcycles to police officers was observed at the Police Officer’s Mess, Ikeja by the Assistant Inspector General of Police of Zone 2, AIG Lawal Shehu, who represented the IGP on the occasion.
In his speech, Shehu said the initiative was one if it’s kind as the police are witnessing another landmark of the indefatigable IG in relations to provision for the welfare of police officers in the country.
He said, although the police have a lot of challenges especially in terms of welfare which was what informed the scheme the challenge was being addressed.
AIG Shehu further noted that “ the IG through the cooperative has solved the problem of high-interest rates that would rather be faced by police personnel who obtain loan from the banks.
“We know what it entails to get a loan from the bank especially with their high interests rates which can be more than double before you finish payments of the loan.
“The police cooperative gives a loan of only five percent without hidden charges and you automatically enjoy this once you are a member of the NPF regardless of your rank.
“It is necessary to bring this programme to solve some of the problems the police are facing; therefore this programme is to boost their morale and to make them relevant economically and encourage hard work.
“It is a continuous programme which our men would find very good and important because it would be sustained,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, CP Dasuki Galadanchi, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Multipurpose Cooperative Society, said similar exercise which had been launched in Zone 1 Kano and other zones would be reached as directed by the IGP.
“According to CP Dasuki, the initiative is to empower the policemen economically so that they can have a high moral in performing their duties. A settled mind that is able to cover basic domestic necessities will perform well in providing service to humanity.
“The keke is given at N735,00 while the motorcycle is given at N283,500 both to be paid for in 42 months with an interest of 5 percent only, no compound interest or administrative charges whatsoever within the year of payment.
“If the officer manage the investment well, they will not feel the impact of the loan been given by the cooperative.
“Another welfare scheme which is yet to be launched is to have shops where officers can collect food items on credits and money will be deducted from the officers’ salary at the end of the month.
The amount of food items that can be collected depends on the rank of the police officer requesting for the food items.
“The essence of the scheme is to be able to empower the most junior rank officer in the police to provide for their family as the need arises,” he concluded.