The Lagos State Government on Wednesday received 16 security operations vehicles from Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) toward enhancing security in the state.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Lagos House, Marina, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the donation of the security vehicles was a promise kept by the donors.
Sanwo-Olu said that the vehicles would be deployed for the purpose for which they were donated.
”We are excited because this is another confirmation of collaboration, another promise kept, another public private partnership that is working for us in Lagos State.
”A couple of months back, even way before COVID-19, we have met at dinner in which we have asked and solicited for support from our private sector operatives in Lagos and SNEPCO was in that dinner and they committed to providing something for the state.
”So, this was a commitment that was made to us months back, but we are indeed glad that even given all of the very difficult terrain all of us have gone through, they have been able to make it, together with their joint partners – NNPC, ExxonMobil.
”They are doing this because, we, as the government, have shown consistent transparency in how we deal with them, we have shown that when they support us, we get to use it for what the support is meant for.
”So, we want to reassure you again, that whilst we are Oliver Twist, we will continue to ask for more because we see ourselves as joint partners and we will continue to collaborate,” he said.
The governor assured that the security agencies that continued to keep the state safe would get the vehicles, as the government, through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) would determine how the vehicles were distributed.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, SNEPCo, Mr Bayo Ojulari, said that the donation of the 16 vehicles was to enhance policing and facilitate response time to distress calls in the state.
Ojulari commended government’s untiring efforts in the fight against COVID-19 and the enforcement of law and order that had kept the over 20 million residents of the state safe in the face of security threats to lives, property and businesses.
He said that Lagos State, being a commercial nerve centre, was faced with security threats to businesses, human lives and property which negatively impacted its economy, its people and by extension that of the entire nation.
According to him, SNEPCo and indeed Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) recognise the tremendous work the Lagos state government is doing to strengthen security in the state amidst limited resources.
”Our keen and constant evaluation of the state of our community always helps to identify gaps where we believe we can intervene to make a difference.
”In this instance, we recognise the need to support the government’s efforts in keeping the state safe, just as we have continued to support the state in two other areas of education and health.
”This, to a large extent, aligns with our priority of safety, health and development of our people and communities where we operate.
”Therefore, the 16 units of security vehicles being presented to the state’s security trust fund is to enhance policing and facilitate quick response time to distress calls, which are considered to be critical to crime prevention.
”We will continue to work with the state to seek other areas of collaboration and partnership,” he said.
Also in his address, the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) Mr Bala Wunti, said that NNPC believed in investing and touching lives of people through all possible means.
Wunti, represented by Mrs Clementina Arubi of Community Relations, NAPIMS, said that NNPC donated a total of N21 billion in kind, in an effort to bring relief to Nigeria, during this COVID-19 pandemicnan.
