Osun NSCDC holds infrastructure summit, solicits partnership for protection of National assets

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Osun State Command has called for stakeholders partnership for protection of critical National assets and infrastructure in their domains.

Speaking at a one-day summit organised by the command, with the theme: ‘”Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure as a Panacea for Underdevelopment”, the Zonal Commander in charge of Zone J,Engr Quadri Saladin, Assistant Commandant General,  said the summit was apt, as the government at all levels and private sectors across the country are investing massively in development and construction of infrastructure.

Represented by Commandant Ajibola  Liadi, he solicited for a robust collaboration from all stakeholders for the Corps to apprehend these economic saboteurs.

In his speech, the Commandant of Osun NSCDC,  Michael Adaralewa  said  the event could not have come at a better time due to the  threats to the National assets and infrastructure by economic saboteurs.

Adaralewa further stated that, the stakeholders summit was in line with the vision of NSCDC Commandant General  Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni, OFR, saying his administration is totally committed to rooting out every threat to the corporate existence of the country.

He said, “There must be a deliberate attempt to build capacity for sustainability of critical infrastructure through genuine partnership between NSCDC and stakeholders, as the Corps is statutorily mandated to secure critical national assets nationwide.”

Also speaking, the Head of Department,  Critical National Assets and Infrastructure(CNAI) in Osun state command, Deputy Commandant of Corps, Vincent Linus, said lack of collaboration, lack of awareness among stakeholders, inadequate intelligence sharing, ignorance and poverty are factors hampering proper implementation of protection of critical infrastructure in Nigeria.

Delivering the lecture titled ‘’Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure as a Panacea for underdevelopment’’ the Vice Chancellor of Fountain University, Prof Olayinka Ramota Karim represented by Prof.Goke Lalude stated that critical National assets are services and systems necessary for a country to function upon which daily life depends.

She explained further that everyone has a role to play in securing the assets, hence all hands must be on deck in protecting both public and private infrastructure as its effectiveness would have a meaningful impact on political, economic and social life of a nation

In his presentation, Professor Joseph Bamidele Oyedele of Estate Management Department, Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile Ife, revealed that the establishment of NSCDC by the  Federal Government is one of the measures to protect critical infrastructure and this is supported by NSCDC Act 2003 as amended in 2007.

‘’Any disruption to these assets can have serious consequences for citizens. Hence, protecting these facilities is important economically as interruptions could result in substantial financial losses and interference with the supply chain and business operations’’ Professor Oyedele said

Keynote speeches were also delivered by Vice Chancellor of Adeleke University, Ede. Osun State, Prof. Solomon Ajayi Adebola represented by Assistant Commandant General(rtd) Kingsley Oguntuase, and the General Manager of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Osogbo, Osun State, Engr Adesina.

The summit was attended by critical stakeholders, including security agencies, senior government officials. business executives, infrastructure owners and managers, among others. This is in line with government thinking that  all hands must  be on deck, and that every Nigerian must be properly educated about security issues for them to play their individual role in protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.