Budget crisis: Reps query Police Intervention Fund in Interior Ministry’s budget

Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, on Wednesday, queried the inclusion of the Police Intervention Fund in Ministry of Interior’s budget.
Chairman of the committee, Haliru Jika (Bauchi-APC) raised the query during the defence of the 2016 budget of the ministry before the committee in Abuja.
Jika said that it was not proper for the intervention fund to the domiciled in the ministry.
Besides, the committee sought to know the necessity for the intervention fund, saying that the Police Force was in a position to know what it needed.
“We want to know the idea behind the intervention because the police know what they need.
“There is no need for such fund because of the economic situation of the country; that fund should be scrapped.
“The Police know the hot spots; the money should be appropriated to the Police directly.
“I think the appropriation should be to the Police, if Interior Ministry is undertaking infrastructure for the Police, it is another dimension,’’ Jonathan Gaza, a member of the committee, said.
In his explanation, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Bassey Eyong, said that the funds would not be used for routine expenses but for interventions that would enable the police work effectively.
He said that the ministry will work closely with the Inspector – General of Police to identify their infrastructural needs.
According to him, this will bring back law and order to the North-East as well as some parts of the South noted for kidnapping.
“We should not forget the need for checks and balances, the police can liaise with the ministry for that; somebody needs to oversight these monies,’’ he said.
In his remarks, chairman of the committee ruled that at an executive session would look into the matter and address it properly.