How would you react to the insinuation that no South-East officer stands the chance of being promoted Inspector-General of Police in the near future?Dame Comfort Obi, Journalist and a Commissioner in the Police Service Commission says the wrong application of Federal Character in the Police and promotions is responsible for the disparity in ranks. GEOFFREY EKENNA met her
That is not true. I don’t know why people wouldn’t make their researches well before talking. The Igbo have DIG Katchy Udorji, who is in charge of works. So, the insinuation is unfounded.
The recent promotions , how has it favoured the South East?
That is what I am explaining to you. Every zone has a DIG because the post of the DIG is more of a political appointment. It doesn’t matter whether you have an AIG or not. If you have a Commissioner of Police and don’t have a DIG, the Commissioner will automatically skip the AIG position to become a DIG . but that is the only position that is political.
Those that are talking now, they quickly forget that just in the recent past, the South East had two DIGs. I am talking of DIG Ivy Okoronkwo, who was the Second in Command to the IGP and DIG Azubuike Udah. At that time, the South East was the only region that had two DIGs.
How would you react to the present situation where there is no single AIG from the South-East?
What has happened in the position of AIG now is saddening. It is not something that started with President Goodluck Jonathan, or the current IGP or the present Police Service Commission. This is a product of decades of bad police policies. There was this Federal Character principle. It was so bad that you can still see the mates of the current IGP that are still Deputy Commissioners of Police. They so did the Federal Character that when it is your turn to be promoted, they will start looking at this zone or that zone. It affected so many zones, not just the South East.
How is the promotion done now?
During the last PSC headed by Parry Osayande, we made it as a matter of Policy that during recruitment, Federal Character will be observed seriously. But after that, you are on your own. You must pass your exams and be of good behaiviour before you can be promoted. Unfortunately, a lot of harm had been done to the police over the decades, particularly to the South-East, South West and some other zones. So, there’s no way we can take anybody from the South East ad make him an AIG because the zone has none. We promote based on Merit. As I said, as a South Easterner myself, it is sad but it is because of the background I have given you. So, you have to get to the position of Commissioner of Police and we use merit. When they talk about the IGP marginalising the South-East, it is not true. The IG does not promote, he does not discipline or recruit. These are the jobs of the PSC.
What is the primary function of IGP?
The IGP is in charge of operation. Even in the operation, when he wants to transfer, he brings the list to the PSC and we check. There have been instances where the PSC has said no, this Commissioner cannot go here or there. It is not also the problem of Jonathan or the present Police Service Commission or the last one. It is a product of the use of the Federal Character wrongly. But it will stop. Udorji is the highest ranking officer from the South East; he’s retiring this year. Next to him is Opara, the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State. He’s coming up. If he does not become an AIG and Udorji retires, it follows that Opara will become a DIG, so long as he has character, he’s good and he is worthy of that post
NEW TELEGRAPH
No comments:
Post a Comment