Alex Enumah in Abuja
The governor of Enugu State, Mr Peter Mbah, has stressed the need for adequate funding for the proposed state police in the country.
Mbah stated this while responding to questions at the Arise News Townhall in Abuja.
The governor, who disclosed that his administration made security number one priority, because without security other goals of the administration cannot be achieved, said security must be placed as a Frontline Charge just like the judiciary and the legislature.
“What we have essentially done is to treat security as a priority. We prioritize security from the onset. And we realized that with the advantage technology has provided, we could actually use that effectively.
“So instead of just having boots on the ground, we can also use technology. We invested heavily in technology. As I mentioned, we have AI-enabled CCTV cameras — both static ones and mobile ones. Even our DRS and response board vehicles are all installed with AI-enabled CCTV cameras. That is one of our capabilities”, he said.
The governor however stressed the need for training to ensure a dedicated workforce as well as a good welfare packages for personnel.
“What we also did was invest in training. We made sure there was additional training. We were interested in fairness and being seen to be fair.
“For us, security is not just another item on the budget. It is actually the gateway through which all other achievements pass.
“If we are going to be the number one state for investment, and we are talking about growing the economy, we looked at it this way: would investors be sure to invest this much if we are not secure? For us, security comes first. Then the third role of government is to create opportunity.”
