BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Osun State Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, has declared that the police personnel who trooped out on Wednesday to protest non-payment of their salaries are not entitled to payment adding that the Special Constabulary scheme is voluntary service and meant for gainfully employed individuals.
Olokode, in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Yemisi Opalola, made this known on Thursday, while reacting to the protest by the constabularies numbering about 500.
The constabularies protested against their unpaid 18 months stipends in the state capital, Osogbo. The protesters said no fewer than four of them had been killed during different encounters and gun duel with armed robbers in Osun.
The police personnel had alleged that commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada riders capitalized on their financial predicament by snatching their wives.
Nonetheless, Olokode said, “the Community Policing Constabulary Scheme of the Force is a purely voluntary service which is Federal Government initiative to improve security at the grassroots through training and incorporation of individuals with prior paid employment who desire to spend their spare time assisting the police in its simple police tasks within their various communities.”
He added that the scheme was to promote community partnership in crime control via the presence of respected members of the public, with sources of livelihood, partnering with the Force under the scheme to render voluntary service for better and improved policing within their communities.
Olokode maintained that the scheme is voluntary and no assurance of payment was given to individuals under the scheme neither were paid terms of appointment discussed prior to its commencement.
“However, the State Government, or Local Government where they are serving may decide to give stipends to the members of the special Constabularies recruited by them for this assignment in their state, which does not interfere or change the constitution of the scheme,” Olokode affirmed.