Obaseki unveils N2bn Security Trust Fund December 13

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki will December 13, 2018 launch a new security architecture in the State.

Under this initiative which will help to which defines roles of the various security agencies and tackle insecurity head-on and rid the state of violent and other crimes, the State government has set aside the sum of N2 billion as contained in the state’s 2019 proposed budget before the State house of Assembly.

The event will the unveiling of newly trained personnel and equipment procured by the government  to raise the bar in the  fight against all forms of crimes in the State which will be supported by private companies in the state and other organisations.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, on Tuesday, assured that “the unveiling will set the stage for a new era in the state in which residents will work closely with security agencies.

He said manpower will be drawn from the Nigeria Police Force; the Military; Department of State Services; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the State’s Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV) scheme.

Osagie said: “Already procured for unveiling by the state government are three Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs); ninety (90) patrol vehicles; fifty (50) patrol cars and forty (40) pick-up patrol vans; thirty (30) motorcycles and three ambulances.

“They are all fitted with digital communication equipment for real time information sharing among the various security agencies.”

The governor’s aide explained that 1000 members of PUWOV will support men and women of the various security agencies in executing the goals set in the security blueprint.

“The first batch of two hundred (200) PUWOV personnel are being trained at the Police Training School (PTS), Ogida, and another 800 volunteers are to be trained before the launch date.

“They will be kitted in the approved uniform and will form bulk of the first batch that will be unveiled at the launch date of December 13, 2018, “Osagie said.

“The Edo State Security Trust Fund is a pool of fund set up by the Obaseki-led administration, which companies, charitable groups and individuals could contribute to, as part of our support for security agencies, in our collective fight against crimes,” he stated.