Nation
Insecurity: State Police Is Way Out, Osinbajo Admits
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has restated the need for state police to curb the worsening security situation in the country.
The Vice President also said that the way out to the perennial crisis between farmers and herders, was the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), as developed by the consensus of governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Osinbajo stated this at the opening session of an International Conference on Patriotism, Security, Governance and National Development.
He said that the task of building a society desired by all Nigerians was exerting and requires the contributions of all Nigerians as the challenge for everyone is “to build, not to destroy, and to add to, not to take away”.
The event was organized by the Global Patriot Newspaper in collaboration with the Nigerian Consulate in New York and Nigeria in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), New Jersey Chapter.
Speaking on the need for citizens to unite in building a better society, the Vice President said “the task of nation-building is exerting and may even appear messy as the process continues, especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation like Nigeria. It challenges all values, patience and tolerance of citizens, it may even be costly. It is a challenge thrown to everyone, to build, not to destroy, to add to, not to take away.”
While addressing security concerns, the Vice President restated his advocacy for the decentralization of the Nigerian Police Force.
According to him, “We must accept that there is a need for greater decentralization of the police force. I have been a frequent advocate of state policing, and I believe this certainly must be the way we must go.
“The National Assembly is in a position to consider some of the proposals that have gone to them for the purposes of devolving more powers to the states for security purposes and for addressing the security challenges.”
On the steps taken to address the perennial crisis between farmers and herders, Osinbajo said that the federal and state governments are committed to the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), as developed by consensus of governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC).
Explaining the initiative, the Vice President said, “The NLTP is a comprehensive strategy for addressing farmer/herder conflict, essentially by encouraging interested states to establish cattle ranches.
“The crucial point here is that no community or state is compelled in any shape or form to give land for ranching. Ranching is essentially a business. NLTP is not a land grab in any way. Every state is completely responsible for its land. The Federal Government cannot go to any state and take any land.
“Already, 22 states have indicated interest and pilots, with the support of the Netherlands government, are ongoing in four states of Adamawa, Nasarawa, Plateau and Gombe.
“If we are able to execute the NLPT, we will be able to see an end to the farmer-herder conflict because the goal is to make livestock breeders more sedentary, and derive more financial benefits,” the Vice President added.
Other participants at the meeting were Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Tijjani Bande; President of NIDO, Dr Kazeem Bello; Femi Falana, SAN, among others.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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