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By Christopher Oji
The Executive Secretary/CEO Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF),Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun has explained the reason the issue of security should be taken seriously in the state.
Mr. Balogun noted that the issue of security was very critical with Lagos being a mega city with a daily influx of migrants from other parts of the country and beyond the borders.
According to him the pressure on state infrastructure is huge with a higher probability of robbery and violent crimes, not to mention, the increasing issue of drug-related crimes amongst the youths.
The LSSTF boss, who spoke yesterday, during a visit to the Corporate office of Sterling Bank Plc where he and his management team were hosted by the Managing Director/CEO of the Bank . Mr. Abubakar Suleiman said :”‘LSSTF has been effective in facilitating safety and security in the state due to its transparency and accountability of showing donors that their monies are being expended judiciously in the procurement of vehicles, logistics and training for the security agencies in the State”.
He said the visit was in furtherance of the partnership of the bank with the trust fund towards the continued sustenance of a safe and secure environment where businesses can thrive and for the prosperity of all.
According to him, Sterling bank has been partnering with the Fund since its inception in 2007 by making significant contributions towards the improvement of security in the State.
He briefed the management of the bank on the activities and security interventions the Fund has been engaged with in recent times, noting that,‘‘LSSTF has been effective in facilitating safety and security in the State due of its transparency and accountability of showing donors that their monies are being expended judiciously in the procurement of vehicles, logistics and training for the security agencies in the State”, Balogun said.
In response, Mr. Suleiman said that the visit was very timely as it gave his team a better understanding of the relevance of the Fund. It was however noted that despite Lagos being perceived as the safest state in the country,” it should not be taken for granted. The safer a state is perceived to be, the more the need to intensify efforts to keep it that way. The aftermath of a crime could indeed become more expensive than its prevention, he stated”
He said while the bank would make its donations to the Fund and collaborate with it where necessary to improve the challenge of insecurity and traffic management, it would encourage the Fund to come up with a strategy that would commit the bank and indeed other corporate organizations to an annual subscription/support for a more structured intervention.
Dr. Balogun expressed the Fund’s immense gratitude for the pledge made by Sterling Bank and its pledge to buy into the Fund’s mandate and encouraged other stakeholders to take a queue from the bank to do same.
