The Police Service Commission (PSC) has raised concern over the low enrollment of youths from the South-East into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Commissioner, representing South-East in the PSC, Chief Onyemuche Nnamani disclosed this on Friday during a tow hall meeting in Enugu.
Nnamani said that the town hall meeting was organised by the PSC to sensitise residents of the state on the need for youths in the area to join the NPF.
He said that the meeting became necessary following the seeming lack of interest in the NPF by youths in the zone, adding that even those that applied were not the best from the region.
“An additional concern is the fact that most of the applicants seem academically challenged as more than 90 per cent have consistently failed to score up to 30 per cent in the examinations.
“This is a sad reflection of the caliber of officers that will be patrolling our communities in the event that these persons actually end up enlisted in the police,” he said.
According to Nnamani, the issues border on security of lives and property of the people and the best time to talk about it is now.
He said that the best time to join the NPF was now, adding that the PSC was reforming the system.
“The NPF that will tackle the security challenges in the country will be a new police force that will be well equipped and remunerated.
“The purpose of this meeting is to act in order to change this unsatisfactory development. Our people should join the armed forces,” he said.
Nnamani said that the sensitisation would be taken to all the states in the region.
Also, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, urged residents of the state to join the NPF
Ugwuanyi, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government. Prof. Simon Ortuanya, said that the state government would continue to work hard to secure the state.
In a keynote speech, the Consultant to PSC, Prof. Felix Asogwa, said that the situation presented by the data as it affected the region in the recruitment process was worrisome
Asogwa said that no fewer than 81, 000 persons had so far applied nationwide, adding that only about 7, 652 of such applications were from the Southeast.
“The current 2021/2022 police recruitment exercise is a case in point. All the states in the region recorded abysmal figures in the current exercise.
“For instance, out of the 1, 679 applicants shortlisted for recruitment in Ebonyi, only 779, applicants turned out for screening while 330 made it into the second round of the exercise.
“In Enugu State, 2, 945 youths were shortlisted for recruitment but only 1, 795 applicants turned out for screening,” he said.
Asogwa also said that 2000 persons applied in Abia while 1, 098 of the applicants turned up for the screening, giving a deficit of 54.9 per cent.
He said that Imo recorded only 870 applicants for the recruitment with about 37 per cent turned out for the screening.
“Anambra is the least with only 158 applications received,” he said.
He said that the reason for the seeming lack of interest in the NPF might not be unconnected with the perceived poor remuneration of police officers.
“Some of the problems are that the people assume the officers are poorly remunerated which is not commensurate with the demand of the job and its associated risks as well as negative image.
“However, the Federal Government has come up with juicy packages. Our youths should know this for them to correct this erroneous impression.
“Most of these reasons are not logical enough as the strategic importance of the police in the community cannot be overemphasised,” Asogwa said.
Also, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Enugu Police Command, Mr Chinedu Okoh encouraged the youths in the area to join the NPF.
Okoh said that the people of the area needed to occupy the public space as some problems were better solved when you speak local language.
Ikengaonline reports that one of the requirements for the recruitment is a minimum of O’ Level credit passes in English and Mathematics.
The age limit is 17 to 25 years.
