I spent N15bn on security in 2016– Ambode

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The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said his administration spent over N15bn in 2016 to beef up security in the state

Ambode,poke at a dinner held at the Lagos House in Ikeja, in honour of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who was on a two-day working visit to the state.

Thanking the former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Musiliu Smith, who was the pioneer Chairman of the LSSTF,Ambode said that the model he midwifed in 2007 has changed the face of security in the State.

“That same template that he (Smith) brought to Lagos that we have continued to use in the last 14 years and it’s been working and in different forums, he has shared how he started it and how we have also improved on it.

“Like the Inspector General of Police said, the template we are using to run the security trust fund is worthy of emulation and he has also averred that they would like to replicate it in other parts of the country and also for men of the Nigeria Police Force,”

Recommending the LSSTF model to other states, Ambode revealed that out of the N15bn spent on security last year, the private sector contributed over N5bn.

For us to be having the private sector, just to give you a very clear example, as at last year, we have spent as a government close to the region of N10billion, but the private sector has actually contributed more than N5billion of their own money into the Security Trust Fund. “There is no way the private sector would do that if they don’t believe in the cause of our Security Trust Fund. So I want to recommend it also to others, it is something that could work in other States. Like you said, funding is a major issue for security in this country and then we can have partnerships with the private and public sector to also help in securing the country,” Governor Ambode said.

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