Caption : Gem Isola Williams
Exclusive Interview
Says No need for Trust Fund if there is Transparency in Security vote allocation
….. FG and states should follow Lagos State private sector driven model
By Tunde Abatan
Less than 24 hours after the Minister of Defence,Abubaksr Badaru,tendered his resignation letter, Former secretary of Transparency International,TI,Gen Isola Williams said that the National Security Adviser and the two ministers of Defence, should have been shown the way out of the government for their inability to deliver.
Said he,”The President ought to have sacked the NSA and the two Ministers of Defence.
We have the solutions like the Gov of Zamfara told everybody in a Video”
As for him, there is no need for the South and Northern regions to set up Security Trust Fund to tackle insecurity in their region as the initiative will achieve nothing if there is lack of transparency and accountability in their administration .
According to him,both the states and federal government have no reason for extra Fund if their security vote and yearly budgetary provisions are well accounted for with transparency and accountability.
As for the former Director of Training of Nigerian Army,states and federal government should follow the example of Lagos and South West states which has set up functional private sector driven initiatives and Neighbourhood watch with results to show for it.
He told Newdawnngr.com in an exclusive interview that states do not need the permission of the National Assembly to set up state police if they are desirous of it.
He is also of the opinion that the Inspector General of Police should only oversee operations of State police nationwide.
Full text below:
What are the implications of the Trust Fund being established by the Regions to solve insecurity crisis?
A=Why do we need Public Safety Trust Fund if we have
1 The budget with Transparency and Acountability for Public Safety at all levels
2.Security vote with no Transparency and Accountability at State and FG level
3.Extra Budgetary Expenses by States who buy mobility and dash welfare funds to all Federal Security Agencies that exist with confused mandates.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo started the idea at FG level with corrupt outcome.
The idea was borrowed from Nairobi Kenya then where Private Sector there decided to set a Fund not to buy weapons but to support the Kenya Police and Separately Kenya Administration Police responsible for VIP protection with keeping the Communities especially Nairobi safe.
It is not a Private Sector Initiative run by the Private Sector.
Lagos State adopted it.
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It has a website and has tried to be accountable to the donors and the public with its impact on public safety in Lagos commendable.
The bad side is there is still lack of Transparency and Accounting by the FG,States,the Military and all the Security Agencies with room for corrupt and fraudulent practices.
If there is need for the fund,Instead of focusing on buying weapons,money should be spent on Community Intelligence with Neighbourhood Corps as in Lagos which is another good model for
the LG Police.
What you need is Scale it up to become State.
They can also cover gaps in providing funds for non-commissioned elements and widows.
This in addition to encouraging Whistle-blowers for crime prevention and deterrent.
Can you imagine Lagos without Area Boys or Similar groups in other States.etc
On state Police: All States do not need to wait for NASS to establish state police,SW created the model and could be adopted by other States and Regional Neighbourhood Safety System needed by Nigerians for community owned public safety System.
That is way ahead.
What do you do with the Nigeria Police Force ?
Break up Nigeria Police Force into
1.Crime Intelligence and Criminal Investigation Agency with a Director General.
The MOPOL becomes Federal Paramilitary Force to support State Police in curbing Banditry,Kidnapping etc and also support military for Counter Insurgency and Border Protection with a Commandant General of the rank of a Lt Gen .
Furthermore, the IGP in this case becomes Inspector General of Policing Standards, Monitoring, Performance Evaluation and Reporting to Presidency and NASS through Ministry of Internal Affairs.
All the Police agencies should be under Ministry of Internal Affairs while the
Civil Defence will be under Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for Protection of Federal Assets,IDPs and Refugees, support NEMA for Emergencies and Disasters while the Customs Department will be under the Ministry of Finance.
