The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved increase in the allowances for Nigerian Police Officers by 20 per cent.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, told State House Correspondents after the Council’s meeting on Wednesday that the Nigerian government has approved “peculiar allowance” for the police to take effect from January 2022.
Dingyadi said the salary increase was part of efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to meet the demands of the #EndSARS protesters.
Aside from the salary increase, FEC also approved the review of police duty tour allowance to six per cent, and the release of N1.2 billion for the payment of uninsured benefits.
The sum of N1.2 billion was also approved for the payment of outstanding allowances.
The minister said FEC approved a tax waiver for junior police personnel to take effect from October 2021.
He said, “I am particularly very happy today to inform Nigerians that the Federal Executive Council has approved the review and upgrading of the take home pay of Police personnel in this country.
“You recall that in October 2020 this country was rocked with EndSARS protests and the President addressed the nation appealing for calm, after which he promised that the salary of the Police will be reviewed in recognition of the services they have been rendering to the country, maintaining peace and tranquillity.
“So, FEC has today approved a proposal for the review of their salaries, which will take effect from January 2022. We have tried to create a situation where their take home pay will be enhanced through the improvement of issues such as duty tour allowance, which has been reviewed to six percent of their new take home pay.
“Council has also approved the payment of N1,120, 172,150.00 for payment as outstanding benefits of personnel for uninsured period of 2013-2020, it has also approved N127,972,269.20 for payment as outstanding death benefits of 5472 personnel for the uninsured period of 2013-August 2021, not covered under the group life assurance.
“Council has also approved N1.2 billion as outstanding burial expenses of personnel for a period of January 2012-2021. Also, the Council graciously approved the annual insurance premiums of N750 million as well as the payment of N4, 812,500,000 for repairs and replacement of damaged Police infrastructure in future budgets, starting from 2022. Council has also approved a tax waver in the sum of N18.6 billion for junior officers of the Police in order to increase their take home pay with effect from October 2021.
“Similarly government has approved an increase of the current rent subsidy, which is currently between 15-20 percent, amounting to N61 billion. With the increase, it is now 40 percent of the Consolidate Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), in the sum of N78.3 billion.
“It has also approved payment of an additional six percent shift duty allowance for officers on Grade Level 01-14 and supervisors allowances for officers on Grade Level 15 and above, totaling about N10.038 billion with effect from 2022.
“Most importantly, government has also approved payment of 20 percent of CONPOSS as a peculiar allowance to boost morale and take home pay of the Nigeria Police personnel.”
