The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON), Rivers Stat chapter in conjunction with ALCARDONIS Ltd, has ended a 2-day residential bundles course for LGA chairmen, chief security officers and the chief protocol officers of the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State.
In his opening remark, the facilitator of the event, Mr. Okumgba described security as a veritable tool for local government administration.
Mr. Okumgba stated that security refers to all the measures that are taken to protect, and safeguard a place, environment, office, community to ensure that people are properly safe or protected.
The facilitator pointed out that there was need for the officers of the local government councils in the state to be in tune with the security matrix in their different LGAs to tackle any breach of security with the knowledge gathered from the workshop.
Earlier, the keynote speaker and a former Chief Security Officer to former governor of Rivers State, Sir. Dr. Peter Odili, Mr. Ade Adeogun, in his paper titled “Environmental Consciousness as Tool for Enhancing Public and Personal Security,” posited that since there was no society devoid of safety of lives and properties, the issue of security cannot be overemphasized.
Adeogun who is now the chairman of the Sanitation Authority tasked council chairmen, security officers and protocol officers to consider other stakeholders in the local governments on the issue of security, such as law enforcement agents, judiciary officers, youth associations, traditional rulers, market women, among others, within the locality.
He stressed that the activities of all the stakeholders must be monitored so as to complement the security effort of all the groups.
The former C.S.O in the state further called on the chief security officers of the LGAs to be vigilant on security matters around them by understanding the dynamics and forestall any possibe dangers.
On his part, the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa who spoke on ‘crisis management and community policing,’ explained that the importance of community policing cannot be overlooked, hence the collaboration between the civilian and police to secure community is very vital. Tepresented at the occasion by S. P Akainyene Unaani, Commissioner Indabawa urged those in charge of security to show headship by example and avoid issues capable of springing up communal crises.
While lamenting that some of the protocol and security officers to the council chairmen are lacking in experience, he urged the council chairmen to empower them in their various offices for maximum performance. ###
Pius Dukor
