Police get 100 billion Naira, support fund

 

The private sector-led Coalition Alliance Against COVID-19   yesterday unveiled a N100 billion equipment support to retool the Nigerian Police Force over the next two years.

The group also said it received N28.7 billion as donation from members of the private sector and spent N43.272 billion on various interventions, including N28.7 billion on food relief as palliatives to 1.7 million households translating to about eight million Nigerians.

CACOVID’s interventions came, as insecurity in the country heightened, with kidnappers and bandits running riot in different parts of the country. This accentuated the need for the support from the private sector.

Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Co-Chair, CACOVID, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed news of the support for the Police at a briefing in Lagos, said measures adopted by the group will rebuild confidence in the economy, following looting and destruction of properties, and insecurity which trailed the #EndSARS crisis.

The measures include renovation of 44 police stations destroyed by the crisis that followed the ENDSARS protest; low interest rate loans for affected businesses; and a N175 billion fund to empower four million youths through skill acquisition programmes over five years.

Emefiele spoke in the company of President, Dangote Industries and Co-Chair, CACOVID,   Aliko Dangote, Chairman, UBA, Tony Elemelu, and Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe.

Speaking on the rationale for the intervention announced by CACOVID, Emefiele said: “As we are all aware, the aftermath of the EndSARS protest that took place in several parts of the country in October 2020, led to the vandalism of private and public assets, which includes business houses, shopping malls, banks and police stations. Many small and medium scale businesses that were affected have struggled to resume full business activities. In addition, the provision of security which is essential to the conduct of business activities has been hampered due to the damage of 44 police stations across the country. If left unattended, this situation could undermine confidence in our economy and derail the efforts of government in enabling faster recovery of the Nigerian economy, following the impact of COVID-19.

CACOVID has committed to fully rehabilitate all 44 damaged and destroyed police stations nationwide in a bid to restore provision of security in affected locations.

To further strengthen the security apparatus in the country, CACOVID has committed to provide over N100bn to procure equipment and gadgets for the Nigerian Police Force over the next two years; as our contribution to fully modernize the Nigerian Police.