Workers Of Police Service Commission Protests Against Appointment Of Police Officers As Chairman Of The Commission

Workers of the Police Service Commission on Thursday kicked against the practice of appointing retired police officers as the chairman of the commission by the Federal Government, according to Punch report.

 

The protesting workers, who besieged the National Assembly premises in Abuja, asked the FG to stop the practice, describing it as illegal.

 

The workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, PSC chapter, said that going by the Act establishing the commission, a civilian should be appointed as the commission’s chairman, and not a retired police officer who they claimed may have bias for the police.

 

The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions, such as “Police Service Commission is not a retirement resort for ex-police bosses”, “Mr President, please give us a civilian chairman” and “FG, respect the constitution and appoint a civilian chairman for PSC.”

 

The chairman of the union, Umar Sharubutu, said it had been difficult to work with the former police officers heading the commission because of their background.

 

He said, “Why we are here today is to address an issue which has been bothering us for the past 10 years. It is wrong constitutionally to have an ex-police boss heading the commission. This is because the commission, by the Act enabling the commission, is defined as a civilian oversight body on the police.

 

“To represent the interests of the police, you have a Commissioner of Police 2 appointed on the board to serve as an adviser on technical issues relating to the police. So, the appointment of a former police boss as a chairman of the board is a duplication of interest.

 

“We have tried to work with these former police bosses but it is simply difficult to work with them because of their background. We will resist, in the most lawful manner, the appointment of another former police boss to head our commission,” he threatened.

 

Addressing the protesters, the Permanent Secretary of the Police Service Commission, Musa Istifanus, urged them to return to work as their complaints had been heard.

 

“Let us go back to our offices. Let us follow things according to the government rules,” Istifanus added.