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Coalition hails FG for approving take-off grant for community policing
A socio-political group, Coalition for a Better Nigeria has commended the federal government for approving the sum of N13.5 billion for the l take-off of Clcommunity policing across the country.
This was contained in a statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Awa Bamiji, on Monday.
Awa urged the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari and Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to ensure judicious use of the money.
“It is not a new police structure that is being created but the police is being re-invigorated to bring in community based initiatives.
“The rural people would be engaged and trained by the police and government will be giving the recruits stipends.
“Efforts must be made by the Inspector-General of Police to prevent illegal possession of arms by these vigilance and neighborhood watch groups.
“The timely and valuable contributions of local vigilance groups in the rearrest of 19-year-old suspected Ibadan serial Killer, Sunday Shodipe, are highly commendable and this necessitate the urgent need for the smooth take-off of community policing,” Awa said.
The group also hailed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s approval of N50 billion revival fund for the textile industry, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari l-led government to double its efforts in ensuring its policies and programmes on security, corruption and economy have great impacts on the average Nigerian.
It also said it endorsed the candidature, Dr Akinwunmi Adeshina for second term in office as President of African Development Bank (AfDB).
The statement also urged Buhari, to consider the plight of 160 Nigerian traders whose shops were locked up in Ghana, over their failure to pay $1 million registration fee to Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC).
“We see this arbitrary charge of $1 million as a quit notice given to Nigerian traders in Ghana,” the statement said.
“We unequivocally condemn the military coup in Mali. Nigeria and other mediators in particular need to find out the position of France on the military coup because of the defence pact France signed with Mali long time ago.
Nigeria as a prominent member of the ECOWAS, alongside other member states must try as much as possible to resume negotiation with Col. Assimi Goita, the leader of the military regime, to find a common ground without resorting to war at this period when coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the economy of every country of the world.
“The true representatives of the people of Mali, who protested over insecurity and economic hardship on the streets for weeks before the military took over must be properly carried along in the next phase of negotiation because the soldiers saw the protest as public approval of their action.
Bringing ousted President Ibrahim Keita back to power may be frowned at by the Malians, while the three years military rule suggested by the junta will be surely condemned locally in Mali and internationally. War could be the last resort if all entreaties failed,” the group said.
Awa said it is surprising that despite the federal government’s efforts in fighting corruption, “we are still hearing various allegations that involved billions of naira in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of governments because corruption is deeply rooted. This shows that it is not yet Uhuru.”
He added: “During his two-hour presentation before the House of Representatives’ adhoc Committee investigating arbitrary breach of presidential orders, Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, accused Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) of awarding 332 contracts worth N4.448b in one day.
The famous probe of misappropriated N40 billion in the NDDC by the Senate is equally worrisome.”
The group said it backs the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) call for considerate reopening of tertiary institutions in Nigeria by both the federal and state governments.