Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has appealed for the deployment of more military personnel to help tackle crime along the waterways in the state.
He has emphasized that a formidable security network will not only safeguard the lives and property of citizenry but will encourage investors to settle in this region.
Governor Emmanuel made this known during a courtesy visit on him by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt on Tuesday at Government House, Uyo.
“I learnt the Chief of Naval Staff is billed to come here soon we also want to appeal to him to deploy more resources here because the state government does not have that much any longer, gone are the days when state governments in this region use to be buoyant.
“We want to appeal that we need more support especially along our waterways because of the investors that are coming into this region and for the benefit of the country at large not just for the benefit of one state.
“Fortunately for us, we are the state with the longest shoreline in the country, so we call for a whole lot of collaboration and be rest assured that we will do a whole lot that we can, please see us as your primary responsibility since you are resident in Port Harcourt, you are likely to concentrate more at your residence since your men are there please give us attention”, the governor appealed.
The Governor commended the selfless services of the Nigerian Army in safeguarding lives of citizenry in the country and urged the security agencies to forge a common front to address security challenges in the region.
In his remarks, the leader of the delegation, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Major General Sani Gambo, thanked Governor Emmanuel for the warm reception accorded him and his team and also conveyed the goodwill message from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru to the government and people of Akwa Ibom.
Major Gen. Gambo explained that his visit to the state is in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff whose goal for the region is to collaborate with all stakeholders to enhance the general security in the state and across the country.
“I want to seize this opportunity to bring the goodwill message from the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru. He has asked me to convey this message to you and the good people of the state.
“This visit is in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff. As the Army General he has troops they are professionally trained in order to defeat all vices in a joint environment, the main focus there is to operate in a joint environment and that joint environment encompasses all stakeholders”.
Gambo thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for supporting the security agencies in the state especially the renovation of the Army Barracks, Andrew is assured of his team’s resolve to enhance security in the state and the region.
