MAKURDI – (FIC Makurdi Report) – A one – day National Orientation Agency (NOA) “Change Begins With Me” Campaign on the conservation and protection of public assets and infrastructure was held in the Conference Hall of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Makurdi in Benue State recently.
In a goodwill message delivered at the occasion, the Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Benue State Command, Shuayb Jibril described infrastructure and assets such as oil and gas installations, telecommunication systems, power supply, mass transit systems among others as essential to the economic and social well-being of the State. He also noted that these are supposed to be accorded high levels of protection, indicating that the failure of one vital infrastructure could impact negatively on other sectors and eventually lead to breach of national security.
Shuayb Jibril informed that Nigeria currently faces daunting internal security challenges which include piracy and other illegal activities like kidnapping, attacks on oil and gas installations in it’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). According to him, by virtue of the NSCDC Act of 2003 and NSCDC (Amendment) Act 2007, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps is charged with the responsibility of conserving and protecting public assets and infrastructure.
He further revealed that the Corps and other military bodies are mandated to support the Government in the formulation and implementation of policies that will translate into the well-being, security and safety of critical national assets, infrastructure and entire citizenry.
Also speaking, the representatives from the Benue State Command of the Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Army reiterated that critical national assets and infrastructure are the bedrock of any nation’s existence. They added that there is serious need to provide more equipment for the country’s military organisations, in order to enhance their capacity for cost-effective performance in the execution of their statutory mandates.
By Bridged U. Tanker
