State Governors That Can’t Pay Teachers’ Salaries Should Not Make State Police A Priority – Gololo

A Chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC), Garus Gololo, has submitted that the fresh agitation for the establishment of state police is a misplaced priority.

He argued that there are more pressing issues that need attention than the creation of state police.

According to him, some states are unable to pay their workers the minimum wage of N30,000 but want to take on extra overheads with the creation of state police.

Speaking in an interview with The Sun, Gololo added that state police could turn to a weapon in the hands of the Governors to fight their opponents.

He, therefore, urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to avoid the potential banana peels that come with the issue of state police creation and focus on things the masses need, such as jobs, education and food.

He said, “Let me remind us that the country is going bananas due to the high rate of inflation. I think they should be able to ensure that they give local government the autonomy it deserves to be able to curb insecurity problems emanating from the hinterlands”.

“The National Assembly first of all ensures that the local government authority has this autonomy it seeks. We all knew that state governors have always blocked the move.

“We should also ask the state governors to render an account of how they spent the 5bn naira subsidy palliative given to them. We knew that the sharing became a party affair in several states.

“We are also aware that only two states out of 36 and FCT of the federation pay successfully the 30,000 naira minimum wage. Others have remained elusive.”

The former BOT member of the APC further warned that if State governments are unable to pay the state police, then such recruited persons who already have access to weapons may turn to criminal activities as a means of survival, which will then lead to more insecurity in the country.

“There are basic things Nigeria should declare a state of emergency of. Such as education, food security as well as fight against insecurity. If you travel to many states of the Federation, you would discover that teachers are being owed and these are the same Governors conversing for additional overhead costs to accommodate state police. This I believe would aid more crimes because when they fail to pay salaries they would use the guns and find means of feeding themselves. We know that if state governors get the control of the police under them, some of us might not be able to travel to our states again because my state Governor does not like me”.

Tinubu Never Promised State Police

Speaking further, Gololo submitted that President Tinubu never promised the setting up of state police during the campaigns. He argued that he is very sure of this because he was with Tinubu throughout the campaigns.

He said the removal of fuel subsidy is what Tinubu promised, and that has been done.

“I can tell you this because I was with him throughout his campaign period; he never said such; this kite is being flown by enemies of democracy. Those who never loved this country,” Gololo added.