Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, has said the much-anticipated Police Trust Fund will take off by January 2020.
Speaking with The Nation in his office in Abuja, Dingyadi said the main problem of the police had been insufficient funding.
The minister noted that in realisation of this, the President had signed the Trust Fund Bill into law three months ago.
“There is really a need for better funding for the police, if it has to perform optimally. I think Mr President has adequately appreciated this. That is why about three months ago, he signed a bill into law that would establish the Police Trust Fund.
“This fund is going to be managed by this ministry through a board that would particularly take care of the training aspect, the equipping and general welfare, in terms of providing better office accommodation, providing better residential accommodation for the police and to ensure that we improve their welfare.
“We would endeavour to see all these things are improved and then we would not expect anything less from the police in terms of performance and in terms of ensuring the security and safety of lives and property in this country.
“About a month ago, we set up a ministerial committee that is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the smooth take-off of the trust fund. I think they are on course. Very soon, they will submit their report to us. What we want the committee to do is find office accommodation for the trust fund, determine the structure of the place and assist in scouting for the needed staff that will run the organisation.
“So, we are expecting a report of this committee anytime this week. By the end of this December and early January, we hope that the trust fund will take off…”