Special Police Constables Protest Non-Payment Of Salary In Kwara

The Special Constabularies in Kwara State, on Saturday, staged a peaceful protest over the non-payment of 16 months’ salary owed them by the state Government.

Afrika Eyes gathered that the protesters were on motorcycles dressed in black Police Uniform holding leaves and chatting as they marched along the streets straight to the Government House.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Okasanmi Ajayi, reacting to the solidarity protests said that the concept of community policing and recruitment of special constabularies is voluntary, “meaning they are not on monthly remuneration like the conventional policemen”.

“Kwara State Police Command wishes to dissociate herself from a video already spiralling on Facebook, regarding a protest by some purported policemen over non-payment of one year salary.

“For purposes of clarification, the characters seen in the video are police special constabularies recruited to complement the operation of community policing. It is important to state that the concept of community policing and recruitment of special constabularies is voluntary, meaning they are not on monthly remuneration like the conventional policemen. This much the constabularies were briefed before taking up the job, besides, the job is not a full-time job.

“Due to the complaints of the constabularies regarding non-payment of stipends by the state government, the constabularies were invited for a meeting by the state government on ways by which their complaints could be looked into, hence their invite to the government house today.

“It was surprising that the same set of constabularies after the meeting with agents of the state government could go online with a video claiming that the government was owing them salaries for a year.

“The commissioner of police Kwara State, CP Tuesday Assayomo psc (+) wishes to state categorically, that the police is not owing any policeman or woman any salary, neither is the police owing the special constabularies salary.

“Therefore, members of the public are advised to disregard the viral video as it was designed to embarrass the police and also to draw undue sympathy from the public.

He said, “The men and women of the special constabulary are at liberty to honourably disengage from the service if they so wish.”

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Communication, Mr Olabode Towoju said that the police constables were to be taken care of by the local governments in the state.

Mr Towoju explained that the government recruited some young men last year to beef up security as a result of the present security challenges and to reduce the unemployment rate in the state.

“The constabularies are not directly being paid by the state government. They are being taken care of by the local governments which have been giving them their stipends,” he added.