GROUP TO BUHARI: Reconstitute PTF Board, do away with nepotism

The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to reconstitute the Police Trust Fund, PTF, Board of Trustees, following angry reactions trailing the recently announced composition of the BoT.

The call was made on Friday by the Campaign for Equity, CFE, a group of Nigerians, which expressed regret that “our country, Nigeria, has, over the years, been held down by inequity, injustice and nepotism”.

CFE National Coordinator, Mr. Oliver Akosa, who addressed a press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital said; “In the appointment under reference, former Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abbah, was announced as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Fund, while Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto was pronounced the Executive Secretary.

“Other members included Representatives of three ministries , namely, Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Ministry of Justice.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt sets up Police Trust Fund committee

“The Nigeria Police Force, Civil Society Groups and Organised Labour were also represented on the board of the Fund.”

The group however noted with disappointment that “the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Fund is sectional, parochial, lopsided and does not meet the basic requirements of federal character as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.”

On the composition of the board, Akosa said: “Suleiman Abbah, Chairman of the board, is from Jigawa State in North West. The Executive Secretary, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, hails from Sokoto State, in the same North West. It is clearly odd and obscene for a national agency, which is supposed to reflect the country’s geopolitics, have its chairman and secretary coming from one zone of the country.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now