IGP Alkali Baba’s welfare actions and the changing face of NPF

Written by Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Health is seen as wealth and good health, good pay and easy insurance are the success factors of any organization. For a man to be productive at work, his health must be in order, his wages must be attractive and he must also have adequate insurance in case of unforeseen circumstances such as serious injury or death.

Health and welfare programs designed to promote the physical, mental and material well-being of police officers have been among the visions and motivations of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba since taking office.

It is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that IGP Alkali has revitalized the Nigeria Police Force with its visionary leadership skills across all ramifications, including improved health care for both retired and serving members of the police force and their families; enhanced welfare packages, notably by ensuring the payment of a 20% salary increase to police officers effective January 2022 as promised by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the prompt payment of insurance claims to officers injured in the line of duty, as well as families of deceased police officers.

IGP Alkali has not only ensured prompt payment of officers’ emoluments, but has also fought and stopped tax deductions for inspectors and commoners as of January 2022. He is also working on tax exemptions for other senior officers. The tax freeze is intended to improve the welfare of police officers. This is one of the great achievements of the administration of IGP Alkali Baba.

Recall that on January 9, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR commissioned a state-of-the-art hospital in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, built by IGP Alkali to improve health care for Force members and their families in Yobe State. The said hospital is considered by medical experts as one of the best and most equipped in contemporary Nigeria.

More so, sometime in 2022, the Nigeria Police got a new state-of-the-art medical facility at Utako in Abuja. IGP Alakali Baba influenced this huge project for the police because of his quest to improve health care for members of the Force. Police medical facilities in all commands, formations, training colleges and schools have undoubtedly undergone renovation and upgrade by the IGP and posterity will judge him kindly.

The IGP is also extending the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to retired police officers and their families to provide better health care under this scheme. It follows that IGP Alkali cares for and provides quality and valuable services not only to serving members of the Force, but also to retired officers who have served the country in various capacities. This is the first time in the history of the Force that something like this has happened.

To enable police officers to easily acquire property, IGP Alkali has revised the NPF’s housing policy to provide affordable housing units for police officers, especially the lower ranks. He lowered the equity contributions to 5% for Inspectors, Rank & Files and 10% for ASPs and above from 10% and 20% respectively. This policy helps police officers to have their own home without stress. It will further improve living conditions during and after the service.

The IGP is developing and constructing new police complexes across the country under the Nigeria Police Cooperative Housing Scheme for allocation to members of the scheme.

Before IGP Alkali took office on April 6, 2021, so many police barracks and institutions have fallen. The structures were in poor condition but upon resuming office the IGP took it upon themselves to renovate all the police barracks and institutions in Nigeria and if you visit the police barracks today you will bear witness to the fact that there are changes and everything is now okay is good shape.

IGP Alkali has also adapted the insurance policies for better service. In 2021, the IGP approved the formation and establishment of the Nigeria Police Insurance Company (NPIC) to effectively manage police insurance and maximize the welfare interests of police personnel who are continuously exposed to occupational hazards. This guarantees seamless insurance services for both officers and the general public

In May 2021, during the flagging of a three-day workshop for police insurance desk agents, organized to develop the capacity of dedicated officers from the 36 state commands, the federal metropolitan area and other police formations across the country, IGP Alkali handed over checks to families of 40 deceased police officers, who lost their lives in the line of duty, amounting to one hundred eighty three million, two hundred ninety five thousand, three hundred twenty seven Naira, thirty two Kobo (N183,295,327.32). On Thursday, January 19, 2023, the IGP marked the distribution of checks to over seven thousand (7,000) beneficiaries with over 13 billion naira at the IGP Conference Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja. There is an ongoing payment of insurance benefits to officers injured on the job and families of deceased police officers.

The police chief has also reintroduced and strengthened the NPF Scholarship Scheme for bereaved families of police officers, especially children of police officers killed in the line of duty. This plan has been shelved for a long time, but the arrival of IGP Alkali brought about a rebirth of the program and it is getting stronger and better day by day.

In addition, he has successfully pursued and obtained approval from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for the inclusion of family members of police officers in the Farmer Moni, Trader Moni and N-Power schemes.

The police chief has also agreed to the prompt payment of allowances for special-duty personnel. Prior to this approval, special duty officers were not paid immediately, while in most cases this was not denied outright, but since the IGP gave this approval, special duty officer pay has been smooth.

With IGP Alkali Baba holding the ace of the force, this is surely the start of a new era for officers and men of the Nigerian Police. As a visionary leader, Alkali Baba spends every day in office repositioning the Force to perform optimally in line with international best practices and in tandem with the ongoing reform agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria overseen by Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, the breakthrough and catalyst of the crusade against corruption.

• CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi is the Public Relations Officer of the Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja. Email address: princemuyi@gmail.com

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