The Nigerian Government has been urged to empower the Local Government Areas with special funding in order to end insecurity challenges.
This position was echoed at the Nigerian local government Development summit and award organised by the Senate Committee on States and local government administration in Abuja.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government Administration, Senator Binos Yaroe explains that because security is local, such empowerment of the third tier administration would help in nipping insecurity in the bud.
This is an annual event organised by the Senate committee in collaboration with other partners to award excellence on outstanding local Government Councils in the country that made tremendous achievements.
One of the Local Council Chairmen who won the award was the Chairman of Obanliku Local Government Council in Cross River State, Dr Sunny Ayang.
He received the award based on his economic policies, strategic security architecture, effective management of scarce resources and different empowerment programmes for the rural people within his Local Government and its environs.
Dr. Ayang used the occasion to call on Nigerians to assist all the security agencies to effectively carry out their responsibilities in securing the Nation from non-State actors terrorizing some communities in Nigeria.
“Nigeria has a foresighted, visionary and purposeful leader like President Bola Tinubu that led him to declare a State of emergency on security architecture, to restructure the security agencies to meet the needs required,” he said.
The Executive Chairman of Obanliku local government Council also commended President; Bola Tinubu for the current restructuring of the security architecture to rid the country of all the insecurity elements of boko haram, bandits, kidnappers and the rest of them terrorizing most parts of the country.
He applauded President Tinubu for choosing General Musa and also commended the Senate for the screening and for the quick confirmation as Nigeria’s Minister of Defence.
Dr. Ayang believes that with retired former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence, Nigerians will start seeing changes in the Nigerian security space.
“In my local government Council I have set up what we called Obanliku Community Policing which patrol and watch all the communities as well as near-by forest especially Nigeria’s border with Cameroon to check any security challenges in the area”. Dr. Ayang re-emphasised.
The Obanliku local government Chairman extended his call on all State Governors, the National Assembly, States Assembly and local government Council Chairmen to support the President’s efforts aimed at defeating terrorist organisations in the country.
“In order to reduce youth’s restiveness, the Council legislatures have passed a Bill that will empower youths and women throughout the local government Council,” he added.
Obanliku Local Government Council is located in the northern part of Cross River State; the home to the popular international Obudu Cattle Ranch Resort with international boundaries with Cameroon.
Confidence Okwuchi