* Minister asks Buhari to raise supplementary budget for fund
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, approved a 20 per cent increase in the salary for the police force with effect from January 2022.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The minister said the 20% raise in the take home pay of police personnel is one of the ways to improve the relationship between the force and the citizens.
The council also approved the review of police duty tour allowance and shift allowance to six per cent, and as well, the release of N1.2 billion for the payment of uninsured benefits.
Besides, he said that FEC approved the sum of N1.2 billion for the payment of outstanding allowances.
According to him, the approval aligned with President Buhari’s promise to enhance police personnel pay as demanded by EndSARS protesters.
The minister also disclosed that the sum of N13.128 billion was approved for outstanding death benefits of 5,472 police personnel.
He, however, said the payment would only commence after the Auditor General of Federation must have scrutinized it.
He also announced a tax waiver of N18.6 billion for personal from Grade level one to Grade level 14
But the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said the upward salary review for the police is not captured in the 2022 Appropriations Bill.
The government, according to her, could raise a Supplementary Budget and send to the National Assembly for passage.