By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, has ordered the establishment of a State Security Trust Fund as a matter of urgency in response to the logistic and operational needs of the various security services.
The Governor directed a committee of five to work out the modalities for the take-off of the fund as quickly as possible.
He hinted that the fund would operate on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model, just like in Lagos, in close collaboration with corporate organizations, business communities, industrialists, and critical stakeholders.
According to a statement, the fund will be deployed for the provision of material and logistic support for security operatives in the southwestern state.
To instil confidence and achieve set goals, the committee will include members of the security services with a view to proffering solutions to security challenges facing the state.
Members of the Organised Private Sector will also be included to serve as a vehicle to institutionalize an enduring public-private-partnership approach to the resource problems of security institutions.
The Governor commended security operatives for their efforts in safeguarding lives and property in the state and noted that he recently discussed a close partnership with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun in Abuja.
“We must ramp up the protection of lives and properties. We cannot achieve this goal without properly equipping and strengthening our security services. Our administration is committed to achieving a fully secured state to complement the ongoing reconstruction and recovery process in the state.
“But the operational and logistics needs of our security agencies are enormous. So our best approach is a PPP arrangement through a State Security Trust Fund. We seek the buy-in of the private sector. The implementation committee will soon roll out modalities for the actualisation of this policy”, the Governor was quoted as saying in the statement.
Modupe Gbadeyanka