I-G’s wife dangles N10m bait before pupils of police children’s schools

Any pupil of Police Children Schools who works hard stands the chance of winning N10 million in the Police Children Quiz competition.

Hajia Hajara Alkali, wife of the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, made the declaration in Benin on Wednesday as National President of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA).

She was addressing pupils of the Police Children School, Adesuwa Road, Benin, while on a nationwide tour of police formations.

She said the competition, promoted by POWA, aims at encouraging and rewarding excellence among pupils/students in various schools owned and ran by security agencies.

She added that it would gladden her if a police family wins the first prize, adding that she would also reward the child from her personal funds.

The POWA president noted that education, one of her three-point agenda was very significant to the development of children and of society.

She added that there was no better way to drive home the importance of education than rewarding pupils and students for excellence.

“That is what we at POWA have set out to do with the police children quiz competition, which was inaugurated few weeks ago,’’ she said.

Hajia Alkali donated writing materials and other gift items to pupils of the school during the visit.

The POWA also warned POWA members against selling alcohol in police barracks. She advised those already in the business to instead go to ply their trade at “Mammy Markets’’.

She also urged POWA members to take sanitation of police barracks very seriously.

She advised widows of police officers and retired female police officers to leave the running of POWA to new members and wives of serving officers.

Mrs Alkali lamented the non-inclusiveness of all POWA members in the activities of the association by the leadership of POWA in Edo and consequently dissolved the executive committee of the chapter.

Alkali noted that the dissolution of Edo executive committee would serve as deterrent to other states lagging behind in unity and all-inclusiveness.

At an earlier visit, the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, commended Mrs Alkali on her initiative to go round police commands to boost the morale of officers and their wives.

The Oba urged her not to relent in what she had started. He also appealed to her to keep empowering POWA members and urged her to do more for the association’s growth.

He said that himself and his subjects, like other Nigerians, were concerned about the welfare of police officers and those of other security agencies.

Earlier, Alkali said she was at the palace to seek royal blessings as she carried out her three-point agenda in Edo.

According to her, since the #EndSARS protest of last October the police family had been demoralised.

“So what we are doing is to go round to encourage police families with a view to restore the lost confidence.

“We have also been visiting police children primary and secondary schools to encourage pupils and students to take their education seriously.

“We use the visitations to provide welfare and empowerment to police officers’ wives to enable them to improve their standards of living,’’ Alkali said.