Nigeria Police cooperative society now largest, strongest capital investment base in Africa – IGP  

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed A. Abubakar, at the formal launch of the automated cooperative management portal of the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multi-purpose Society Limited (POLCOOP) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Monday, remarked that the Cooperative Society of the Nigeria Police has grown to become the largest, strongest capital and investment base in Africa. The IG stated that the cooperative has grown beyond mere provision of soft loans to Officers of the Nigeria Police but has expanded its interventionist activities to provision of low cost housing and other incentives that would enhance optimum performance of the Police in Nigeria.

IG Abubakar acknowledged the launch of the automated cooperative management portal of the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multi-Purpose Society Limited as a higher realm of technology application in the system.

The IG highlighted that the Police Cooperative is a welfare-oriented Cooperative Society that was established in 1977 by Force Order No. 130, to cater for the welfare needs of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and their families; adding that it is the largest cooperative society in Africa with well over 300,000 membership.

He stated that after over 40 years of operation, with the motto ‘Welfare and Progress’, the Police Cooperative Society has successfully lived up to expectations in terms of bridging the welfare gaps among serving police officers and enhancing their frame of mind towards optimal performance in their duties. “Aside the provision of soft loans, the Society has ventured into massive low-cost housing projects and undertook other rewarding investments to strengthen its status as the largest Society with the strongest capital and investment base.

“The huge membership size, wide business coverage and expansive investment profile of the Society have combined to make it expedient that its operations be automated and aligned to technological dynamics. Much as significant progress has been made in this regard over the years, I am glad that the platform we are here to launch today, will take us much closer to a level of end-to-end automation.

“This will not only strengthen the accountability process within the Society, it shall aid the ease of doing business by the contributors, particularly, in relation to accessing the services of the Cooperative Society.

“I am similarly, delighted to note that the application being launched today was developed at the Innovation Lab of Africa Prudential Plc, an indigenous digital technology firm and Capital Market operator.

“The indigenisation of this process is in furtherance to the Federal Government’s Policy of enhancing local contents in ICT acquisition. I have been assured that appropriate security measures have been emplaced by the software developers to protect the application from intrusive activities that could threaten the integrity of the data base and compromise the personal and classified information of the co-operators,” IG Abubakar declared.

The IG admitted that he has also received confirmation that the Police Cooperative Society shall fully migrate its operations to the new Portal immediately after the Monday’s launch.

“This process will help to automate savings withdrawal, contribution management, loans administration, member management, automated reporting, and inventory management. In the long-run, the automation process being advanced today will strengthen the status of the Police Cooperative Society as a leading cooperative movement providing distinctive and innovative welfare services to its members through the utilisation of ICT solutions,” IG Abubakar stated.

He, therefore, strongly encouraged all members to embrace the change within the Police Cooperative Society, remarking that, henceforth, no longer will police personnel be exposed to the risk of travelling from their various Commands and Formations to process their loan applications, savings withdrawals, or get their contributions balances from the Cooperative Headquarters in Lagos. “All these services will be done just by the press of the buttons on their computers or Mobile devices,” he said.

The IG commended and congratulated CP Dasuki Galandanchi and his Team for their foresight, dedication and innovation which have brought the technology application dream to fruition. He, however, challenged the team to sustain the tempo and continue to drive the Force commitment to the advancement of the welfare of personnel of the Nigeria Police through enhanced service delivery by the Nigeria Police Cooperative Society.

IG Abubakar, thereafter, declared the launch of the Automated Cooperative Management Portal of the Nigeria Police Cooperative Multi-Purpose Society Limited.