Police Recruitment: PSC, NPF Now To Synergize

By Ayodele Oni

The Police Service Commission, (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force are now to jointly carry out recruitment of new officers into the force.

Already, officials of PSC have been deployed to recruitment centres nationwide to participate in the on- going 2021 screening of applicants for employment into the Constable cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.

This was coming after workers of the Commission embarked on a protest which led to the closing down of the office of the Commission last week.

They were protesting against their being sidelined in the recruitment of new Constables into the Police Force and the non implementation of some of their entitlements.

Spokesman of PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, in a statement, said “after a tripartite  meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force and the Commission’s staff Union leadership, chaired by Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Commission, Chief William Alo, decided to deploy its Staff to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory for the exercise.

“The Commission’s offices shut down in the wake of the three- day sit at home order by its two Unions were opened on Tuesday February 1st at the expiration of the order.

“The Commission had the same day received in audience a delegation of the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force led by DIG Mohammed Danmallam,  DIG Training, while PSC team was led by the Permanent Secretary, Secretary to the Commission, Chief William Alo, where the two parties resolved some and other contending  issues that led to staff unrest in the Commission.

The Parties resolved to work together and avoid such unnecessary and avoidable occurrances in the future.

“The Commission staff are expected to proceed to States of deployment and are expected to partner with the other stakeholders to ensure that the exercise is transparent, fair and credible.

“The Commission says it will continue to ensure and insist that Police recruitment at any level must be merit driven with  observance of the guidelines of the Federal Character Commission.

“A total of 10,000 applicants are expected to be recruited from the exercise.”