Senate set to legislate on welfare, capacity building of police

The Senate Committee on Police Affairs has indicated its readiness to legislate on the improvement of officers of the Police Force.

Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Ahmed Abdulhamid stated this on Wednesday, saying that men and officers of the Police needed capacity building now than before.

Speaking at the inaugural committee meeting on Wednesday at the National Assembly Complex, Senator Abdulhamid also stated that the Senate will review and strengthen existing laws to address security challenges in the country.

He said the committee will empower the Police Force to execute their functions effectively by prioritizing their welfare, capacity building and the provision of modern facilities.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our Legislative Journey as we gather here for our maiden meetingq of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs. For me personaly, this event evokes immense gratitude to God and the leadership of the 1Oth Assembly, for reposing confidence on the membership.

“Central to our work will be the review and strengthening of existing laws pertaining to the Police, as well as the propositions of new legislation that addresses emerging security challenges.

“We’ll pay particular attention to police welfare, capacity building and the provision of modern equipment and technology that empowers our officers to effectively carry out their duties”, he said.

Amb Abdulhamid further noted that the Police Pension Establishment Bill, 2023, passed by the Senate, but was unfortunately, not transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before the end of the 9th National Assembly, will be revisited by this Committee in due course.

“May I seize this opportunity to commend the 9th Assembly for their outstanding contributions to the establishment of a legal framework for the Police Sector.

“These efforts has undoubtedly contributed to the strengthening and development of the Nigeria Police Institutions”, he added.

He called on his colleagues to bring their expertise and wealth of knowledge to bear in order to deliver on the mandate of the committee.

“My dear colleagues, I strongly believe in the power of collaboration and inclusivity. I encourage all members of this committee to bring their expertise, ideas and experience to the table.

“We mus set goals, targets, and time limits for ourselves as a committee in order to effectively deliver on our legislative mandates.”