S’West Governors Move to Establish Joint Security Team

• Dapo Abiodun: Squad will patrol major roads, provide adequate security

Benneth Oghifo

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said a joint security team that would patrol major roads and provide adequate security to the people of the South West would soon be set up by governors of the region.

Abiodun stated this yesterday during a one-day sensitisation programme on the vision and focus of the state government towards the preparation of the 2020 budget held in Abeokuta.

The governor, who described the current security situation in the country as worrisome, said governors in the region had been brainstorming on how to tackle the menace of killings and abductions.

He added that no serious investors would come when they are not sure of the security of their lives and their investments.

The governor also hinted that he would seek an amendment of the Ogun State Security Trust Fund law through the state House of Assembly.

He said the bill would embrace major stakeholders and allow managers to take decisions without waiting for directives from him.

Abiodun said: “We are going to launch our security trust fund afresh. We have an amended bill that is on its way to the House of Assembly now, because, we look at the existing bill. We compared it to other bills in other states where the security trust fund had worked very effectively and efficiently. We have identified the gaps in our bill and we have sent an amended version of the bill to the House of Assembly.

“The new Security Trust Fund will have all the governance that it requires; it will have a Chairman, Executive Secretary, board, it will have a commitment from a few financial institutions of note and a few people from the private sector that are committed to serving on the board.

“We on the part of the state will also commit to our funding as well.”