Gov Emmanuel says conventional method still best in tackling insecurity

By Chioma Onuegbu – Uyo

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has said that the conventional method still remains the best in tackling all forms of insecurity challenges.

Emmanuel made the assertion weekend during series 8 of “Thegovernorspeaks” media and citizens interactive session while responding to a question on whether his administration has plans to set up security outfit like vigilante at the borders over the security situation in the country and the state.

He appealed to the citizens, particularly the youths to always provide security agencies and Government intelligence, noting that under the current security trajectory and spectrum, 70 per cent is most likely going to be based on intelligence.

He explained that looking at the magnitude of the present security challenge in the country, where the perpetrators are armed with heavy and sophisticated weapons like AK47, that it would be risky and unlawful to use the unarmed youths as vigilante.

His words, “And doing that I am trying to endanger the life of that youth who does not have weapons. Assuming you authorize those youths to use whatever they want to use, how would you demobilize them? So it is not that easy.

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“Also the country is operating under a Law and it is not because you are a State Governor you can unnecessarily take Laws into your hands. However,  if you so much love your state, local government, we will appreciate you giving us intelligence. Under the current security trajectory and spectrum, 70per cent of it is most likely going to be based on intelligence.

“So that is where you should play your role. If you give us intelligence it will go a long way to solve 70percent of our problem, honestly. Please give us intelligence, don’t give us information. Information in most cases has an issue of being right or wrong, but intelligence is based on evidence and facts.

“Every security challenge that we have has its own magnitude, it is like an earthquake. They measure the magnitude of an earthquake to determine the kind of house that can stand and the one that cannot stand”

On the controversial issue of pension and gratuity of primary School teachers, the governor urged the citizens to ignore mischief makers who go on social media to write what they don’t know, noting that the state government was not responsible for the primary school teachers.

Emmanuel who stressed that his administration only intervened to clear some of the backlogs of pension and gratuity arrears for primary school teachers out of compassion and sacrifice, however, pointed out that people must also understand that the local government administration could not handle such responsibility at once.

“It has to be gradual. I have said this over and over again in this programme. I will like to educate our people more. At times people take the responsibility of the local government and give it to the State government.

“For the fact that we are so compassionate in doing things and also in intervening in issues that involve the third tier of government doesn’t totally vest that responsibility on us as a state government. The issue of pensions and gratuity of primary School teachers is a responsibility of the third tier of government which is where primary school teachers fall under.

“That is why there is the statutory allocation for the third tier of government. When we came into office,  primary school teachers pensioners didn’t receive arrears of pension in several years, we took time to clear ten years backlog.

“As a government, we are making a whole lot of sacrifices to make sure we serve our people well because we know that at the end, we are not only accountable to our people, we are also accountable to God”, the governor asserted

Vanguard News Nigeria

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