Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) has sought partnership with the Enugu state Government on the areas of Curriculum, upgrading of Police training Colleges, economic empowerment of Police through agricultural production and an enhanced police welfare.
The Executive Secretary of the NPTF, Mohammed Sheidu, made that known, Tuesday, when he led a delegation of the management of the Police Trust Fund on a courtesy visit to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah in his office in Enugu.
Sheidu said they were in Enugu for a National Assessment of the Police Training Institutions in the state.
Pix-: Gov Mbah (L) Sheidu ( R,,)
Commending Governor Mbah for his good governance and developmental strides his administration has achieved so far, Sheidu, intimated the Governor that after taking a tour of the facilities and carrying out the assessment on Monday, they observed that the facilities needed to be upgraded and rehabilitated and the Curriculum reviewed.
He said the Police Detective College, Enugu and the Police Staff College, Oji- River had trained Police officers who had done great to the country . The Executive Secretary sought collaboration with the Enugu State Government for the upgrading of the institutions to meet the global standards and for the police officers to receive the best training .
His words, “. …We have recognized Enugu state as a key pillar in the Nigerian Law Enforcement. Institutions like the Police Detective College , the Oji-River training institution play a critical role in training the finest officers who had served and continue to serve our nation .
” These institutions built on legacies of excellence deserved to be upgraded to global standards, ensuring that our police officers received the best training. to be able to confront today’s securities challenges”.
Continuing, Sheidu said, ” Our visit today is not only to honour these legacies but to also propose a collaboration with your government to bring about the necessary upgrades that will position these institutions as world class center of excellence.
With your support, we can mobilize infrastructure, enhance the Curriculum and equip these training Schools with technology and tools that are necessary for security tips.”
The Executive Secretary also said they sought to improve the well-being of the police officers by providing them with housing and sustainable livelihoods, through partnership with family Homes Fund and the Nigerian Agricultural Land Development Agency.
He said they were going to create farm clusters that will give the wives and families of the Police personnel a sense of livelihood. This he explained ,will also help them to sustain their households and increase food production ,which will lead to food security in Enugu state and the country as a whole.
Gov. Mbah(L) Sheidu( L)
Sheidu said, ” The families of our police personnel will help push local food production, enhancing the state economy and creating a more resilient and self sufficient community.
“….With your leadership and support, these initiatives can create a transformative impact on the lives of our officers and their families.
“We believe that Enugu can serve as a model state for other states by providing an environment where our police personal are well trained, well housed, and economically empowered.”, Sheidu said.
Pix-: Gov Mbah
Responding, the Governor of Enugu state, Dr. Peter Mbah, thanked the team for the visit
He said the state government sees security as number one priority in the state, noting that for the state economy to grow, they needed the private sector and the private sector can take economic risk and not security risk, hence, the government intervention.
Governor Mbah said crime fighting has gone beyond standing on the road and be waiting for criminals to be hunted down. He noted that technology is the modern and easiest way of combating crime, adding that it allows crimes to be combatted.
He disclosed that his administration had invested hugely on security and built a modern , state-of -the -art security infrastructure to enable security agents track criminals and bring them to book.
The Governor said they recognized the importance of revamping the Police Colleges and will partner the Police Trust Fund
In an interview, the Executive Secretary, Sheidu told newsmen that they took a tour of the police training facilities in the state and observed that they needed rehabilitation, among others.
He assured that if land is given to the police for agricultural production in Enugu state, it will not be diverted because they were in partnerships with the Nigerian Agricultural Land Development Agency.and with such partnerships and collaborations , it will be specifically for farmland.
“It is all about food security.and in line with what we want to do and with the renewed Hope Agenda of the President “, Sheidu said.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama