[News] We spent N15bn to beef up security in 2016 – Ambode

LAGOS State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has revealed that the state government spent over N15 billion last year to beef up security and ensure the safety of lives and property.

Governor Ambode, who spoke at a dinner held at the Lagos House in Ikeja, in honour of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, who was on a two-day working visit to the state, said security, being one of the tripods upon which his administration was built, had improved since he assumed office.

He attributed the development to the sustainability of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), a template, he said had helped to champion funding of security agencies to carry out effective policing across the state.

“Like the IGP said the template of which we are using to run the Security Trust Fund is worthy of emulation and he has also averred that they would like to replicate it in other parts of the country and also for men of the Nigeria Police Force,” the Governor said.

Recommending the LSSTF model to other states, Governor Ambode said the initiative had got serious buy-in by the public, revealing that of the N15 billion spent on security last year, the private sector contributed over N5 billion.

The Governor particularly commended the efforts of former Inspector General of Police, Mr Musiliu Smith, who was the former Chairman of the LSSTF, saying that the model he midwifed in 2007 has changed the face of security in the State.

“That same template that he (Smith) brought to Lagos that we have continued to use in the last 14 years and it’s been working and in different forums, he has shared how he started it and how we have also improved on it.

“For us to be having the private sector, just to give you a very clear example, as at last year, we have spent as a government close to the region of N10billion, but the private sector has actually contributed more than N5 billion of their own money into the Security Trust Fund.

“There is no way the private sector would do that if they don’t believe in the cause of our Security Trust Fund. So I want to recommend it also to others, it is something that could work in other States. Like you said, funding is a major issue for security in this country and then we can have partnerships with the private and public sector to also help in securing the country,” Governor Ambode said.

try and most especially Lagos State.