Mr Rommy Mom, the Commissioner in charge of Civil Society, Police Service Commission (PSC), has expressed concern over the delay in implementation of the Police Act, signed into law in 2020.
Mom expressed the concern during an Open Forum focused on “Public Safety: Towards Implementation of the Police Act, 2020″, on Tuesday in Abuja.
The forum was organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, CLEEN Foundation and the National Assembly Business Roundtable.
The PSC commissioner said that the implementation of the Police Act would address challenges of misconduct and unprofessionalism in the police service.
“I do believe that if we comply strictly to the Police Act, 2020 the issues of unprofessionalism will greatly be reduced.
“If we comply with the Police Act, it will not be the Police Force of the Inspector-General of Police but a Police Force of Nigeria, because Nigerians will take ownership and take charge of policing.
“People believe that the Police Act, 2020 should be activated, implemented and when this is done, professionalism will be enhanced,” he said.
Mom said that the Act bestowed on the PSC the responsibility of appointments and recruitments of police personnel, to allow the police to focus strictly on security issues.
The commissioner said that community policing initiative was an integral part of the Police Act, but was yet to receive the desired attention.
”As we speak today, there is yet to be one community policing that have taken off in Nigeria. Approval does not translate to release, has money been released,” he asked.
In his remarks, Mr Peter Gad, Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, said that the Nigeria security system has been overwhelmed by security challenges.
Gad, represented by Mrs Chigozirim Okoro, Programme Manager, CLEEN Foundation said the security challenges necessitated the repeal of the Police Act, 2004 and signing into law of the Police Act, 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the open forum was meant to spur stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the Act and provide an “effective Police Force driven by the principles of professionalism, accountability and transparency in its operations and management”.
Gad added that the forum was also meant “to chart an action plan for implementation of the new Police Act, 2020.
“It is expected that there should be an engagement with key stakeholders to brainstorm and agree on the way forward.” (NAN)
