Police officers threaten to down tools over unpaid allowances

Some police officers in the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police in Anambra State on Sunday threatened to down tools over non-payment of their 2017 promotion allowances.

The spokesperson of the group, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation said that the officers involved were promoted in May 2017 from police Inspector to ASP without the attendant benefits.

Addressing journalists in Awka, he described the situation as unfortunate, saying that each officer was entitled to N400,000 from the accumulated allowances.

According to him, some of the promoted officers retired before December that year, but police authorities have continued to withhold their allowances without any explanation to them.

He said: “Those serving were only paid as ASPs from January 2018 till date but the allowances from May 2017 to December 2017 have never been paid and no explanations were offered as to why we will not be paid the allowances.”

He described the situation as unfortunate adding that each officer was entitled to N400,000 from the accumulated allowances.

He said: “Those serving were only paid as ASPs from January 2018 till date but the allowances from May 2017 to December 2017 have never been paid and no explanations are offered as to why we will not be paid the allowances.

“Those in charge of the recently introduced Integrated Payroll Personnel Information Scheme in the office of the Accountant-General have not been able to explain why these allowances cannot be paid to us.”

He called on the Inspector General of Police whose office he observed, may be unaware of the plight of the officers to investigate their claims and cause the allowances to be paid before they would reconsider their position on the matter.

The spokesman further alleged that those promoted before the 2017 batch had all been paid and wondered why theirs would be an exception adding that the office of the Accountant-General have not been able to explain why these allowances cannot be paid to them.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Haruna Mohammed, dismissed the story as untrue and unfounded.

“It’s not true. The story is unfounded, disregard it please,” he said.