Akpan Umoh, Uyo
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said that the protection of Government critical infrastructure is a collective responsibility and should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone.
The State Commandant, NSCDC Akwa Ibom Command, Mr Abidemi Majekodunmi, said this during a stakeholders’ summit on the protection of critical infrastructure in Uyo on Thursday.
Our Correspondent reports that the theme of the stakeholders’ summit is; “Securing Critical Infrastructure: Everybody’s Business.”
Majekodunmi charged stakeholders, community leaders and all residents to ensure adequate protection of government critical infrastructure in their communities, adding that there will be no development without this critical infrastructure.
He added that critical infrastructure in the state and country serves as a bedrock to sustain economic development.
“Actually, the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) decided to hold this summit, so that we can engage and interact with stakeholders in the protection of critical assets and infrastructure.
“We hold the view that these critical and National infrastructures are very important in promoting and sustaining development.
“We understand that the people, community, stakeholders have a role to play in securing the safety of this property and of course, economic infrastructure can also be promoted where you have the basic infrastructure in place,” Majekodunmi said.
The commandant urged residents of the state and country to take ownership of this critical infrastructure and protect the facilities against vandalism.
He called on the people to provide the security agencies with credible information to help them serve the people better.
“The major challenge has to do with our disposition and attitude as a people. A lot of people are of the view that the government must do everything.
“Definitely, the government cannot do it alone. They must provide quality and credible actionable intelligence for us to act,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, Dr Christopher Inwang, a legal practitioner advocated the establishment of a critical infrastructure protection trust fund to cater for the welfare of community security groups to protect this critical infrastructure.
Inwang added that the community security groups should be trained to enable the groups to play their role in the security of the critical infrastructure.
He urged Governments, NSCDC and other relevant agencies to sensitise communities on the need to protect this critical infrastructure as their own.