SEKINAH LAWAL/
A critical factor in tackling security challenges is ensuring that the Nigeria Police is strengthened to adequately ensure that law and order reigns among the populace by recruiting more personnel, training and equipping them adequately and ensuring improved welfare packages.
This advice was given by the chairman, Muslim Congress’ Committee on Social Mobility, the Economy & Politics, Dr. Luqman AbdurRaheem, at the state of the nation address in Lagos.
He told NEWSMAKERSNG, that the citizens would need to complement these efforts by giving relevant information to security agencies in order for them to arrest the criminals that are troubling our land.
He said, “The security architecture can only be efficient and effective when every person living in Nigeria is identified. There must be a national database and surveillance cameras everywhere.
“A commendable crucial step was the recent approval of $1 billion by the Governors’ Forum that is aimed at fighting the various security challenges. This should step up the intelligence gathering capability and upgrade the armoury of the security personnel in tackling the security challenges.”
The group also warned Nigerians to desist from venturing to travel overseas through land borders without genuine and authentic travel papers as such journeys, especially through the desert and in a country such as Libya that is fragmented into five different parts without any central government, are fraught with dangers of unimaginable proportions.
“Government at all levels must also do what it can and quickly enough in order to bring about lasting economic and infrastructural development of the nation,” he said.
Furthermore, the Federal Government was commended for standing by the 50-year old international consensus on Jerusalem’s status just like Britain, France, Germany, Japan and 123 other countries of the world. Nigeria’s vote is therefore an important step in ensuring that the international community stands committed to the agreed parameters of the international peace process.
On the lingering fuel crisis, the body asked why do the concerned agencies of government not act to prevent this perennial fuel crisis?
The group stated: “This particular fuel crisis should be blamed on the NNPC as the primary cause and the marketers as the secondary cause. The NNPC did not plan for, nor execute a course of action that would have addressed the spike in demand at this period. The NNPC also knew that the independent marketers had stopped importing petroleum products because of the high cost of foreign exchange. So, it was a problem that was waiting to happen several months earlier. The NNPC must improve on its ability to plan for the needs of the people it serves. On the other hand, the petroleum marketers sought to profit from the shortage in supply.
“More importantly, efforts should be put in place to build more refineries so as to boost local production.”