*Second batch of PUWOV members undergoes intelligence gathering, other trainings at Police College*

In a concerted effort to instil professionalism and discipline in the operations of the Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) in Edo State, another batch of the organisation’s officials is undergoing training at the Police Training School in Ogida, Benin City, the state capital.

The training is coming barely two weeks after the first detachment of 100 PUWOV members began training, which includes courses on intelligence gathering, relations with security agencies, managing sensitive security information and general security training.

Coordinator, PUWOV, Mukhtar Yusuf-Osagie, in a chat with journalists, said that the state government has deployed another batch of PUWOV members to the school to undergo the same training modules.

According to him, “We are very impressed with the kind of training that members of PUWOV are getting. In a matter of weeks, members of the public are going to testify to the change that we are instilling in them. They are going to be more courteous and engage very professionally with members of the public.”

He noted that the training programme is part of  government’s drive to add more than 5000 new members of the PUWOV scheme, stating, “the scheme is going to complement the work of security agencies in the state. We are going to be helping in intelligence gathering and other related security functions so as to combat crime and other social nuisance in the state.”

He said the training includes courses on intelligence gathering, relations with security agencies, managing sensitive security information and general security training, noting, “We are confident that after this, the team will be well positioned to carry out the mandate given to them by government.”

Recall that Yusuf-Osagie earlier said that the Governor Obaseki led-administration plans to reposition the scheme through manpower training to equip the volunteers in the scheme with the right skills and attitude to deliver on their duties.

The volunteers, he added, would be deployed to gather intelligence in their local areas, noting that 250 volunteers were recruited into PUWOV in 2017 to assist in restoring law and order in the state.

The state government has reached an agreement with the Nigeria Police Force to provide requisite training on community policing to the volunteers to prepare them to discharge their tasks effectively and help fight crime in the society.

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Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) officials undergoing training at the Police Training School in Ogida, Benin City, Edo State.