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FG Will Not Compromise On SecurityFG Will Not Compromise On Security - Jonathan
This Day
Funmi Peter-Omale
26 June 2007
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, has said there will be no compromise on the issue of security. Jonathan said yesterday in Abuja, at the presentation of 354 vehicles to the police, that government had placed security as part of its seven-point agenda.
"We all live as prisoners with houses over protected because of the level of insecurity, while our roads are no exception, as well as problems in the Niger Delta. Security is, therefore, one of the key points which we cannot compromise. If there is no security, it is as good as there is no government," he said.
Jonathan commended the initiative of the Police Equipment Foundation, which he said, procured the vehicles to support government to enhance police capacity to secure lives and properties. He challenged Nigerians to also contribute in providing support funds, equipment and information to the police, to help in reducing crime rate, adding that government would pursue the Police Trust Fund Bill before the National Assembly to ensure its passage.
Earlier, National Coordinator of the Foundation, Mr Kenny Martins, said the vehicles were part of the 2,500 vehicles to be procured for the police to enhance service delivery. He said additional 800 vehicles would be delivered in the next six months to the police. Martins said the fund had secured the guarantee of Oceanic and Zenith banks in raising the money required to procure the remaining more than 1,000 operational vehicles.
The Foundation, he said, would by 2018, provide houses to the more than 400,000 police personnel on owner-occupier basis.
This, he said, was in addition to providing some comprehensive (training). Acting Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, pledged to utilise the vehicles in crime prevention and creation of conducive environment to facilitate foreign investment.
He said only 1,500 vehicles and 50 patrol boats were provided to the police since 1999 by the Federal Government to boost efforts at crime prevention. Okiro said some banks under the initiative of the Central Bank had placed orders for 28 armoured personnel carriers.
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