A retired Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has been appointed the chairman of the board of trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF).
Abba was the 17th IGP and was in office between 1 August 2014 and 20 April 2015.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, inaugurated the board on Monday, according to a statement, which was made available to the press on Tuesday, by Odutayo Oluseyi, spokesman of the ministry.
Other members are Dr Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Police Affairs; Mr Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police; Mrs Bilkisu Usman and Mr Ben Akabueze.
The board also has Mr Mansur Ahmed and Dr Michael Adebiyi as members, while Mr Ahmed Sokoto is to serve as the Executive Secretary/Secretary.
While inaugurating the board, Dingyadi urged members to ensure transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.
Dingyadi said that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on June 24, 2019, assented to the NPTF Act 2019 to create a legal framework for training, provision of equipment and related facilities, to enhance the skills of police personnel.
“I, therefore, enjoin the chairman and members of the board to ensure that this assignment is handled with all the seriousness, sense of responsibility and commitment it deserves.
“Your appointment into the board, which indeed is based on your past records, should be seen as a rare privilege to serve the nation and contribute your quota towards enhancing the livelihood of Nigerians.
“You must bear in mind the enormous responsibility and task before NPTF and so, it is expected that you bring your wealth of experience to bear in the board’s assignment,” he said.
According to the minister, the board has powers to award contracts, invest money accruing to the fund and approve the utilisation of the returns on investment, in conformity with due process.
“In the discharge of its duty under the Act, the board of trustees shall, through the ministry, identify the funding needs of various police institutions for the enhancement of performance.
“The trustees shall enter into contractual arrangements for the purpose of executing approved projects and also oversee the implementation of projects financed through money accruing to the fund,” he added.
Dingyadi said that the board also had the responsibility to set out policies and programme for the training and retraining of police personnel and its auxiliary staff in Nigeria and abroad.
He said that the board was equally empowered to approve disbursement of money from the fund to finance projects or activities of the police force and its institutions.
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