Wife of Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Abimbola Akinmoyede has pleaded with Commissioners of Police across Nigeria to fast track the payment of gratuity to the families of deceased policemen.
Mrs. Akinmoyede, who is the Chairperson, Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), made the plea in her address during the empowerment of widows of deceased policemen by the POWA, at the Senior Police Officers Mess, Imo State Police Commad Headquarters, Owerri, Saturday.
She posited that the payment is often delayed, leaving the families to suffer
“The wives of some of the deceased policemen could be employed as ‘Supernumerary’ Police, in order to provide a means for them to meet their needs”, she submitted.
Mrs. Akinmoyede said the motivation for the empowerment was the neglect often suffered by families of policemen who lose their breadwinners in the course of active service.
“It would be recalled that recently, the Nigerian Police and in particular, the Imo State command lost some policemen to the EndSARS protest while some sustained injuries. Similarly, policemen die day-in day-out, while performing their duties.
“The Police Officers Wives Association, therefore considered it expedient to look at ways to improve the life of the wives of and dependents of these dead police officers.
“Therefore this empowerment today which will be in the form of distributing equipment and cash to our women in need and the less privileged, is targeted at making them less dependant and engaging them so they can contribute to their homes”, the CPs wife submitted.
She enjoined the beneficiaries to make good use of the items given to them.
Delivering his goodwill message, the state Commissioner of Police, applauded POWA and its chairperson for the noble gesture and called on them to make it a regular exercise, promising to assist.
He restated the readiness of men and officers of the command to fight crimes to a standstill in the state, saying that his men has put the recent event of EndSARS attacks on policemen and formations behind and ready to make the state uncomfortable for criminals.
A total of 32 women were empowered. 10 of them were given envelopes, containing unspecified amount of money, while 22 were given equipment such as; sewing machines, refrigerators, popcorn making machines, oven, grinding machines.
Also food items such as bags of rice, beans, garri, tomatoes, salt, among others, were given to the women for their Christmas celebration
