LASG Hands Over 100 Patrol Vehicles, 50 Motorcycles To State Security Trust Fund
• "Security is the platform upon which we build the prosperity of our State", says Fashola

Jan 31, 2011 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday handed over 100 patrol vehicles and 50 security motorcycles to the State's Security Trust Fund with a commitment that security would remain a platform upon which his administration would build the prosperity of the State.

Governor Fashola, in his remarks at the handover ceremony at the open grounds of the Lagos House, Alausa, said his administration would continue to invest in resources that would ensure that criminals and lawless people would not find a place in the State.

"Government", Governor Fashola declared, "will commit and continue to invest in resources that will demonstrate that we will not abdicate our State to criminals and lawless people. We will demonstrate by our investment, as we have done today, that people's taxes will work to save their lives; that people's taxes will work to provide an environment where they can do business, where their children can choose to live, work and play"

"We will provide an enabling environment where investment will continue, as it has done, to come into Lagos", the Governor said, disclosing that just last week, a big research and data management company bought into a local company in the State heralding new job opportunities for the citizens.

Noting that crime is a business, Governor Fashola declared, "No individual, no organization has the resources that Government has and if Government continues to commit resources, as we do, to out-spend, to outrun and out think criminals, our State will be safe".

Governor Fashola, who described Lagos State as safe on all fronts, however, declared, "But the road to this destination has been challenging and I must also thank the members of the Organized Private Sector, individuals and chairmen of our various Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas CEO of banks, members and leaders of Diplomatic Mission who have chosen, of their own free will , by eminent, rational and developmental thinking, to support the idea of the Lagos Security Trust Fund".

He also thanked the Lagos State House of Assembly for what he described as "their ground-breaking and novel contribution by promptly receiving the idea of that bill and what it portended at the time for Lagos and expeditiously passed it into law", adding, "That partnership has helped us a great deal to achieve what we have achieved".

Going back the memory lane, Governor Fashola recalled, "When we started with few vehicles, not many people took us seriously. We moved from there to street signs because we realized that now that we have the capacity, how the policeman gets to places of distress; there were no street signs in Lagos and we ensured that every street in Lagos was identified, renamed and properly named to provide direction for policemen and women to get to points of distress".

Other innovations brought into the security initiative of the Government, Governor Fashola said, included the 767, 112, Emergency three-digit toll-free lines to enable distressed people call the police or ambulance or Fire Service, as the case may be, for help and the lighting of streets in Lagos to aid security agents in their job at nights.

Pointing out that the Government has also invested in speed boats to protect the State on water and in helicopters to secure the State in the air, Governor Fashola declared, "That is what we have done with tax-payers' money in almost four years. In spite of the hues and cries, I say this State is safe on land, on water and in the air".

The Governor commended officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, especially the Rapid Response Squad, for their efforts in making the State safe adding, "We have been able to demonstrate that there is nothing wrong with us as a people; that if the resources are there and the men are there and the commitment is also there, that it is possible really to change what we do not accept".

The Governor, however, advised the policemen not to use the equipment and resources provided for them to terrorize and brutalize the citizens who, according to him, "pay your salaries and provide the money for the equipment which you use".

He also advised the citizenry to cultivate and treat police officers with respect and dignity by showing them love and appreciation for the job they do. This they could do by extending kindness to them through presentation of gifts such as food items during festivities and other means.

In his remarks earlier, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, thanked Governor Fashola for providing the Police the required equipment and resources to realize the security goals of the State adding, "When I assumed office as Commissioner of Police of Lagos State, I made my mission Statement of Zero Tolerance for crime but there is no way I would have achieved that mission without equipment. We assure you that we will continue to try our best".

Also in his remarks, Chairman Board of Trustees of the Trust Fund, Chief Remi Makanjuola, thanked Governor Fashola for the donation recalling that when he went to the Governor to request for more vehicles, he said there were already 200 vehicles purchased for that purpose. "That shows that he is a proactive person who thinks far ahead of what we also think", the Chairman said.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Mr. Fola Arthur-Worrey, said the significance of what Governor Fashola was doing as regards the security of the State since he took office as Governor indicates the need for political leaders in the country to take charge of certain aspects of the peoples' lives as the only way to find permanent solution to the issues.

Recalling that the Government has invested and is still investing much on security in the State, the Executive Secretary declared, "After three and a half years of this administration, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, representing the partnership between the State Government, the Private Sector and the Civil Society, is the most viable Public Private Partnership in Nigeria today".

Truly impressive,no doubt.

If Nigeria functioned properly, Fashola would be running for president and win overwhelmingly.

eku_bear:

If Nigeria functioned properly, Fashola would be running for president and win overwhelmingly.

@eku bear
Very True. I agree with you on the above.

This is a wonderful gesture by the government of Governor Fashola. I, however, doubt that any sustained increase in security can come from this. It is still the same Nigerian Police Force we are used to. They will vandalize the vehicles, cordon some of to serve their bosses, and use the rest to harass and extort the general populace.

Matthew 7:6 - Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The NPF are swine at best. Nonetheless, the Governor has done his part. Time for them to do theirs. Lets watch them.