Sete: Allowances will be paid

By JUNIOR UKAHA
ASSISTANT Commissioner of Police Awan Sete says the payment of allowances for police officers involved in providing security for vote-counting in Gulf province will be sorted out.
Sete, who is in charge of planning for the 2012 national elections security operations, said a number of officers raised concerns about the delay in being paid their allowances.
“We have the money and we will be paying them their allowances,” Sete said.
“What is taking place is an audit of the manpower engaged in providing security at the counting venue in Kerema.”
Sete said there were administrative delays because the department was tied up with sorting out allowances for more than 6,000 police officers on election duties throughout the country.
“Once that is done they will be paid,” he said.
“All members who have been engaged in providing security at counting venues will be paid.
“No one will miss out.”
Sete said he did not understand why the issue of allowances was becoming the single biggest motivational factor for policemen and women.
He said the election was a major national event and the last thing the nation needed “is such unnecessary delays”.
He said the election was into the counting stages, with winners being declared and such delays would affect the election process.
Sete said policemen and women had freely joined the force and sworn an oath to protect and serve the people and such behaviour was unbecoming.
He urged all commanders to take full charge of their subordinates.
Sete said that the allowance issue must not hinder the election process.