Delta speaker: Nigeria is ripe for state police — governors won’t abuse it

Dennis Guwor, speaker of the Delta house of assembly, says Nigeria is ripe for the creation of state police to address security challenges in the country.

On February 15, the federal government set up a committee to explore the creation of state police in the country.

On May 16, speakers of the 36 state houses of assembly supported the ongoing process by the national assembly to create state police.

Speaking in Asaba, the Delta state capital, on Monday, Gumor dismissed fears that governors might abuse the state police when it is created.

“Recently at the Conference of Speakers, we went for a constitutional amendment committee in Abuja where all these issues were outlined,” NAN quoted the speaker as saying.

“By the grace of God, I think the present national assembly is very serious in terms of the state policing issue.

“One of the fears people have about state policing is that they think the state governors will arbitrarily control the state police.

“But I think there is no need to fear whether the governors will control the state police against perceived political opponents.”

Guwor added that state and federal police have well-defined roles in Western countries like the United States.

“So, there would be no clash at any time between the federal police and the state police,” he said.

“We have been relating with the national assembly at the conference of speakers level to see how we can support them.

“By the time it is passed, it will come to our own vetting at state houses of assembly, where 24 Houses of Assembly will adopt whatever amendment that was carried out by the National Assembly and pass it.

“So, at the conference of speakers, we see how we can rally around ourselves to support the idea of state policing.”

Speaking further, Guwor attributed the recent electricity tariff hike to inflation, noting that the policy review was the government’s approach to better serving the people.

“What I feel is that the federal government is increasing the tariff to enable it to meet the expectations of Nigerians,” he said.

He added that the government is committed to ensuring that necessary measures are taken to improve the quality of life of its citizens.