The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Enugu State Security Trust Fund

  • Enugu seeks collaboration with royal fathers to tackle insecurity

    Enugu seeks collaboration with royal fathers to tackle insecurity

    The Enugu State government has reaffirmed its commitment to working with traditional rulers to combat insecurity and other criminal activities in the state. 

    As part of this effort, the government has scheduled the launch of the Enugu State Security Trust Fund (ESSTF) for February 13, 2025.

    The initiative aims to mobilize financial and material resources from public and private organizations, as well as well-meaning individuals, to enhance security operations. 

    Speaking during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting with the State Traditional Rulers Council at the Enugu State House of Assembly Complex, the Chairman of the ESSTF Board of Trustees, Dr. Ike Chioke, emphasized the importance of engaging monarchs in the fight against criminality. He urged them to support the initiative and assist in maintaining security within their communities. 

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    Dr. Chioke stressed that security is a collective responsibility and called for widespread participation, noting that Governor Peter Mbah’s vision to expand the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion by 2031 could be hindered if insecurity is not adequately addressed. 

    He further stated that the Board of Trustees is intensifying its engagement and awareness efforts to ensure stakeholders understand the objectives of the Security Trust Fund before its official launch.

    “The essence of the sensitization is to enable Ndi Enugu to understand that security is everyone’s business. The security trust fund is designed as a private/public partnership between the people and the state, such that each one of us contributes to security as part of our daily activities. We need to build and sustain security architecture around the entire state, which is where the purpose of the trust fund comes in.

    “As you know, we are going to launch the trust fund on the 13th of February. So, we are meeting with key stakeholders across the state to ensure that the government will be supported in securing the state and securing the progress that is evident from the work the governor is doing already,” he said.

    Speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government, Rural Development, and Chieftaincy Matters, Deacon Okey Ogbodo noted that due to the prominent position the monarchs enjoy as the chief security officers of their communities, the state government thought it wise to inform them about the policies aimed at prioritizing the welfare of the people, especially about security.

    He stressed that the traditional rulers were responsible for sensitizing their communities, encouraging them to buy into the security trust fund so that the state’s indigenes in the diaspora could visit their villages without fear of attacks.

    “This is a commendable policy of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration that seeks to improve the security of lives and property in the state. The challenge here requires all of us, particularly traditional rulers who serve as the chief security officers of their communities, to play their roles in engaging their people in this fight against insecurity,” the Commissioner stated.

    Also speaking on behalf of the monarchs, the Chairman of the Enugu Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu praised Governor Mbah’s visionary leadership and expressed satisfaction with the state’s cutting-edge security infrastructure.

    Igwe Asadu insisted that security was a collective endeavour that must be supported by the traditional rulers’ council as a whole, stressing that since the governor was bullish in the fight against insecurity, the traditional rulers would give him all the support he deserved.

    “We are excited because Governor Mbah is a game changer. He brought the ‘tomorrow is here’ phenomenon and we are seeing it manifesting daily. Security is a collaborative effort, and Governor Mbah appointed the crème de la crème of society to the Board of Trustees to ensure the fund’s integrity. On behalf of the traditional rulers and principal officials, we endorse this initiative since it aims to assist the governor in protecting our children, the state, investors, and tourists to the state,” Igwe Asadu stated.

  • N20b ESSTF to drive economic growth, security

    N20b ESSTF to drive economic growth, security

    The Enugu State Government has launched the Enugu State Security Trust Fund (ESSTF)- a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing security across the state and creating an enabling environment for sustainable economic growth.

    The ESSTF, inaugurated in February 2024 by the state governor, Peter Mbah, is a direct response to security challenges in the state. With a fundraising target of N20 billion, the Fund aims to provide critical support to security agencies operating within Enugu State by equipping them with essential tools, technology, know-how, and resources to combat crime and ensure the safety of all residents.

    Governor Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, reiterated the importance of the initiative, which is the establishment of the ESSTF as a fulfillment of the governor’s commitment to the people of Enugu State.

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    He emphasised that the governor’s promise is to make Enugu State one of the top three states by GDP in Nigeria, driven by private sector investment, but achieving this vision requires a secure environment and the ESSTF is a major step toward creating that foundation.

    The ESSTF represents a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors, designed to improve the state’s security infrastructure while fostering development and prosperity.

    The Group Managing Director of Afrinvest (West Africa), who is also the Chairman of the ESSTF Board of Trustees, Dr. Ike Chioke, in his address, highlighted how the Fund will help to support Enugu’s pressing security needs. “Security is the bedrock of any thriving economy. The ESSTF is designed as a central coordination point for security resources in Enugu State, allowing us to work more effectively with our partners in law enforcement and the private sector. By pooling resources and leveraging our collective expertise, we will strengthen Enugu’s security infrastructure and restore a sense of safety across our communities,” he said.

    The ₦20 billion target for the ESSTF is structured to be raised in tranches of ₦5 billion annually over four years. Contributions are expected from various stakeholders, including state and local governments, corporate entities, non-governmental organisations, religious bodies, and individual donors within the state, the country, and the diaspora.

    Dr. Chioke outlined key areas where the funds will be allocated, including surveillance systems, support for the law enforcement, empowerment of community vigilantes as well as security personnel welfare.

    “The success of the ESSTF depends on the collective effort of all stakeholders in Enugu and beyond,” he said, while calling on corporate organisations, high-net-worth individuals, and the general public to contribute generously to the Fund adding that the ESSTF offers a digital crowdfunding platform that allows seamless contributions from anywhere in the world.

    The ESSTF is a public-private partnership initiative aimed at improving the security landscape of Enugu State. It seeks to provide strategic funding for security agencies, support community-based safety initiatives, and create an enabling environment for economic growth.