Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday received a
donation of N10 million from the Lebanese Nigerian Initiative (LNI) for
the State Security Trust Fund, charging the body to continue to do more
for the State.
The Governor, who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja when he received the
Chairman and the directors of the LNI through the Secretary to the State
Government, Mr Tunji Bello thanked the group for the initiative, adding
that a lot could still be done for the State in that regard.
“Particularly in the field of security, there is still a lot you can
still do for us. Without the efforts of people like you and others in
the past, Lagos would not have been where it is today in terms of
maintenance of peace and security”, he said.
The Governor added that with the business degree of each of the members
of the LNI, the present administration is deeply appreciative of their
contribution which, according to him, is a good initiative.
He said the issue of security cannot be left alone for government to
handle and that this was one of the reasons that informed the clarion
call to members of the organized private sector to join the State
Government in ensuring that the people can sleep with their two eyes
closed.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Lebanese Nigerian Initiative
(LNI), Mr. Faysal El-Khalil said the members of the Lebanese community
have been in Nigeria for over a century doing legitimate business.
He said the members are, through the latest gesture, demonstrating a
reassurance of their commitment to the determination of the present
administration to keep criminals at bay permanently.
Mr El-Khalil said the donation was about how the members of the Lebanese
community can give back to the Nigerian and Lagos community which they
have been operating for long.
He said in addition to the security initiative, the LNI has also
embarked upon a project towards investing in education by creating an
endowment fund in the American University in Beirut where specified
number of Nigerians would be beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the State Government, through the LSSTF, on Thursday donated
100 hundred level four bullet proof vests and ballistic helmets to the
State Command of Nigerian Police.
Speaking during the donation which was received by the Lagos State
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, Executive Secretary of LSSTF,
Dr. Abdulrazak Balogun said the massive support to security agencies in
the State was part of the strategy of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led
administration at ensuring a safe, secure and prosperous State.
While stating that businesses and investments can only thrive in a
secured and conducive atmosphere, Balogun said there was a need for the
Organized Private Sector (OPS) to continue to support government,
especially by complementing the sincere and genuine efforts of the
present administration in the State at securing lives and property.
He said: “We just continue to appeal to the private sector to continue
to support us. They have been doing so well. As you know, the Trust Fund
is based on donor funding and so all we have been able to achieve is
from the private sector and we just appeal to them that nothing is too
small.
“As Lagos continues to grow and improve, security challenges continue
to increase and we need to forestall this problem in future and we can
only do that with the continuous support of the private sector.”
SIGNED
HABIB ARUNA
CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY
JUNE 23, 2016
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