Funding police ‘costly’

ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas says the province forks out K1 million to assist the work of police every year.
Speaking at a press conference in Wabag last Sunday, Sir Peter, who was quick to point out his appreciation for the tremendous work police were doing in Enga, said it was costing the provincial government a lot of money.
He said an extra allowance paid to police personnel during special operations was depriving the people of money that should be spent on projects that would benefit them.
He said this was despite the fact that the Police Department receives a sizeable portion of the national budget every year.
“A lot of money is going to police. The culture of allowances is not good,” he said.
Sir Peter also blamed the people saying the money would not have to be spent on extra security if they refrained from causing unnecessary trouble.
“It’s the people’s doing too, it’s their money we are spending on police,” Sir Peter said.
He said the provincial government got criticised when law and order problems occurred, not the police, so it was in the interest of the people that they maintained the partnership.
In the past two years, police in Enga have received 14 new vehicles from the provincial government on top of other benefits.
Sir Peter said law and order was now becoming manageable but frequent tribal fights were costing the provincial government “arms and legs.”
Provincial police commander Acting Suprintendent George Kakas confirmed earlier last Sunday that tribal fights accounted for 95 per cent of law and order problems in the province every year.
He described Enga as  a volatile province in relation to law and order.