Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has commended Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State for building a Police Heliport for the Police Command in the state, which he described as a feat that would step up efforts of the force in providing security and protection to the citizenry and ensuring law and order in the state.
The Vice President gave this commendation Thursday in Enugu, the state capital after commissioning the Heliport that was built by the State Government.
Sambo described the commissioning as significant milestone in the fight against all forms of crimes in the country. He called on other state governors to emulate the efforts of the Enugu State governor by also embarking on similar projects that would assist the Police and other law enforcement agents in combating crime in all its ramifications.
“Today we are faced with increasing challenges of the sophistication of modern-day crimes which have become more advanced in practical terms. These new forms of crimes require extra time and effort from our law enforcement agents to effectively tackle them. Indeed this investment will go a long way in helping to curb crime through regular security surveillance and aerial patrol.” He said
The Vice President added that with the commissioning of the heliport, helicopters would be deployed to the state to assist fight crimes and criminality in the state and other states in the south-east.
He called on the Police Command to ensure proper maintenance of the facility so that it would stand the test of time while giving them assurance of Federal Government’s support at all times towards enhancing their effectiveness.
Earlier in his remarks, the host Governor, Sullivan Chime stated that the major obligation of any government constitutionally was to provide for the security and wellbeing of its citizenry.
“I am happy that today Enugu state has been able to contribute to the nation’s quest to have a secured environment. This is our contribution to your efforts.” he said.
The Enugu State Governor called on the Police command to ensure that the heliport was put to maximum use and run effectively so that it would stand the test of time.
Also in his remarks, the Minister of Police Affairs Abduljelili Adesiyan said that the heliport commissioning as auspicious as it was a strategic infrastructure and a platform for the safe-landing of helicopters on aerial surveillance operations.
He added that the project marked an important watershed in the cooperation of the states with the federal government in the provision of critical infrastructure for the Nigerian Police Force and has opened a safe conduit for aerial surveillance operations of the Nigerian Police Force in Enugu State and in other south-eastern states.
According to the Minister, the project was in line with the reform agenda of the Federal Government for the Police force under the Transformation Agenda of the President.
He added that the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan on the assumption of office in 2010, gave impetus to the reform agenda of the Nigerian Police Force with the approval of the implementation plan of the agenda.
“The implementation plan emphasizes partnership of the three tiers of government as well as added support of the private sector in the reform of Nigerian Police Force for effective an efficient security service delivery.” he said
He further stat that the present administration has provided over N100billion towards the implementation of the reform programme of the Nigerian Police Force. He however said that the enormous investment required in the provision of security for the citizens and the rather large and challenging geographical landscape of the country necessitated the need for constructive engagement with all stakeholders.
“In august 2013, through the instrumentality of the National Economic Council, governments commitment to supporting the funding of Nigerian Police Force in practical and organized manner because of the partnership was the consensus that the support of state government would be applied to execute projects of the Nigerian Police Force in their respective states.” He said
Abduljelili Adesiyan added that today’s commissioning of the helicopter landing port otherwise known as heliport was a landmark record in the partnership of Enugu state with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He thanked the governor of Enugu State for his demonstration of an uncommon support for Nigerian Police force while also inviting other states of the federation to emulate the commendable initiative of Enugu State in order to enhance the security of life and property in the country while assuring the Governor of the effective utilization of the facility by the Nigerian Police Force in strengthening aerial security operations in the state and the nation.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo and the Special Adviser Political to the President Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali amongst others.