Ekiti State government has vowed to provide all the required equipment that will make the National Emergency Management Centre more functional and effective.
The Ekiti State deputy governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, gave the pledge yesterday, during a visit to the Centre in Ado Ekiti, to appraise the level of its viability in line with Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s poise to tighten noose on perpetrators of crime in the state.
Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, expressed the government’s position to strengthen the Safety Control Centre, which was a partnership between the State and the federal government, via its agency, Nigerian Communication Commission(NCC).
The deputy governor urged the operators of the centre to ensure that they are alive to their responsibilities to prevent crime in the state or give the required security agencies the deserved clues to respond and arrest those threatening the peace of the land.
“I want you to be committed to this course, because Governor Oyebanji is desirous of making Ekiti safe for all of us to attract investors and protect the ones that are already flourishing in our land. Peace is a very strategic investment drive.
“As you know that you are providing a covert operation, let your secret be secret. I want to assure you that the State government will make this place functional. If there are technical issues, let us know, we are ready to help you to overcome them for the safety of all of us.’’
In his remarks, the general manager, Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Oludare Asaolu, revealed that the Centre has a 112 Toll Free Line the residents can dial to send messages to the centre during emergency situation, urging the the citizens to key into the concept to make it effective.
Asaolu added that the initiative was a build up to Governor Oyebanji’s visit to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency a couple of months ago, as part of his efforts to co- opt other sister agencies for effective emergency management operations in the state.
“Governor Oyebanji had even given approval for the reconnection of all CCTV Cameras in town to this Centre, so that there could be effective monitoring of situations. This will be done soon and I know that this will add to the functionality and efficiency of this Centre”.
