Policemen kick against salary deduction

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar

Some policemen have raised the alarm over what they termed, arbitrary deductions from their salaries.

The policemen alleged that the Mechanised Salary Section of the police made unauthorised deductions of N5, 000 from their salaries.

It was learnt that the money was for the procurement of Fokas Savings and Loans Limited shares.

Some of the policemen, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the scheme was dubious because they were not informed about it prior to the salary deduction.

They added that it was after the first deduction had been made that they were informed by their superiors that the money would be deducted monthly until further notice.

A police inspector said, “Last week I received a text message from my bank notifying me that my salary had been paid. However, I found out that N5, 000 had been deducted. It was a few days later that we were given forms and we were then told that we had to buy shares compulsorily.

“How could the deductions have been made before I even filled the form? The police authorities are leveraging on the fact that policemen cannot openly protest. The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, must look into this.”

Another policeman told our correspondent that the scheme was not well planned, saying some of them close to retirement should be left out.

 He said, “I have been a policeman for 34 years and I am close to retirement. People like me should have been left out from this scheme. I am already a member of the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multipurpose Society.

Our correspondent learnt that apart from the N5,000, other deductions had been made from police salaries.

A police corporal said, “N2,000 was deducted from the salaries of senior police officers while N1,000 was deducted from the rank and file as compulsory contribution towards the World Police and Fire Games in which Nigerian policemen will participate. Why can’t the Federal Government pay from its own purse?”

All attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police, Mr. Frank Mba, proved abortive as he did not respond to a text message sent to his phone.

However, a senior police officer said the scheme was initiated in order to encourage policemen to save because a large number of policemen had the habit of spending frivolously.

PUNCH