Fashola slams FG over poor funding of security agencies

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola yesterday lamented that the Federal Government had failed in its responsibilities to adequately fund the law enforcement officers in the country, despite receiving 52 percent of the monthly federal allocation,

Fashola, while speaking during the commissioning of the Area “C” Police Command named after Ex-Commissioner of Police, Late Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu, in Ojuelegba, asked the federal government to explain how the 52 percent of the monthly federal allocation is been spent, “where is the 52 percent collected by the central government monthly,” Fashola asked.

The governor also pointed out possible incident of collapse building in police barracks in the state, especially the Ojuelegba Police quarters saying “the occupants of the building need to be evacuated immediately.”

He noted that the structures in the Ojuelegba Police barrack were built by the colonial masters before the country’s independence in 1960.

“But years after, those who gave us the former buildings have slowly redeveloped their building to suit the current standard in their own country. It was their best at that time. Over 50 years after, we are yet to move a step further from where they left us.

“I believe that our law enforcement deserve more than what we have given them. It is alarming that in a country that produce oil, have 170 million population, human and natural resources, I think that the central government needed to give more to the law enforcement officers in the country, if we are serious to protect the country’s democracy and developing business. It is only in a secured environment that investors will settle and drive.

“If we had continued to wait for the federal government, the burnt Area C Command would have still been standing 8 years ago it was burnt by protesters”, he emphasized. “And that was why we set out to show that the central government had left several things undone. And this building showed what our government aim to do; to progress, rebuild and redevelop. This building represent the police command that I wish to have in Nigeria especially Lagos state.”

Speaking on the new edifice, Inspector-General of Police, Sulaiman Abba, represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Mamman Tsafe said that about a week ago, he saw the police barrack and the new police command and effort would be made to address the issue.

He however urged “police in the state, especially the command to use the facilities provided by the state government effectively because the structure was reconstructed to enhance security of life and property. The government has done this because it recognized your importance in the state.”