Lawal pledges support to boost police welfare

Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara has pledged support to improve welfare of police personnel to enhance its operations in the state.

Lawal said this during a courtesy visit by Mohammed Sheidu, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF).
This is contained in a statement by his media aide, Suleiman Idris, on Tuesday in Gusau.

Lawal said that his administration would collaborate with the fund in improving the welfare of the police personnel working in the state.

“My administration is making a conscious effort to ensure the welfare of the police is guaranteed. That is why we are currently renovating the Zamfara police headquarters.
“We are also constructing some structures at the Zamfara Mobile Command. We have achieved a lot there, and we plan to do more.

“I am pleased that the Executive Secretary mentioned the police housing estate. If you examine the condition of the police barracks, you will see that it is quite unfortunate.

“I was part of the Presidential Committee on police reform. We were chosen by the National Economic Council (NEC), to inspect facilities at the police colleges and the Police Staff College.

” Last week, the governors of Nasarawa, Taraba, and I traveled to Kaduna, Plateau and Borno for this purpose.

“It is heartbreaking when you see the state of the police and still expect them to perform miracles,” he said.

Lawal said that he was among the advocates for a complete overhaul of the police welfare, to enable it to operate effectively.

The governor said the state government would identify land to be transferred to the fund to fasttrack development of the police housing estate project.
“We will provide the land immediately,” Lawal said.

Earlier, Sheidu said his team was in the state to inspect the newly constructed special forces barracks by the fund.
He commended the governor over his support to the police welfare and development of viable infrastructure.