0
….Move To Ensure Outfit Is Responsive In Its Operations
MAKURDI: The Kukah Center and the Benue State Government, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), under the Project, Improving Community Security Initiative for Accountable Service Delivery in the state, a move that is aimed at validating and strengthening the operational law of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG).
The MoU was signed by both parties during a stakeholders engagement meeting which also served as a forum for the validation of the assessment report on the law establishing the BSCPG that was reviewed earlier in the year and is expected to lead to the implementation of the laws that would ensure that the outfit was responsive in its operations.
During previous meetings, stakeholders’ had reviewed the laws, gathered inputs from all stakeholders before the actual validation, signaling that the law would be sent to the Benue State House of Assembly (BNHA), for amendment and subsequent passage.
The project which is supported by Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme, an initiative of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is implemented by Tetra Tech International Development and executed by The Kukah Centre.
Speaking at the event, the Project Manager, Terseer Bamber, said, “First of all, I want to appreciate critical stakeholders in Benue state who at different levels of engagements have agreed to be a part of this process. This is a journey that The Kukah Center cannot go alone, as such we need critical stakeholders like the persons you see in this room and we will be working with them going forward to ensure that the ultimate objective for this project is delivered for the good of the Benue people.
“Significantly, today we have formalised our relationship with the Benue state government through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). And if you look at the MoU as it were specific roles have been spelt out on the part of the Benue state government as well as the Kukah Center.
“In the days to come, the Center will be working with specific agencies of government that have been specified in the MoU to see that this is project is implemented according to the provisions that have been made. Significantly, also we hope that as we work with stakeholders the end will justify the means.
“And what is the end that we want to see? We want to see a strengthened BSCPG that is not just responsive in terms of context but in terms of issues that are associated with its operations; issues of gender inclusion, issues of human rights and other associated issues. That way we are going to do the project Strengthening the legal and policy framework. So we hope that by the time these areas of recommendations go through amendment we will have a strengthened framework that will also enhance operations of the security outfit.
“Then we are also going to have specilised training to personnel of this outfit, hoping that with a strengthened legal and policy framework and enhanced capacity, then the security outfit will be positioned to deliver on the mandate for which it was established to deliver.
“So going forward, the project will look to first of all, develop what you call standard operating procedures based on these assessments that have been done and then in the long term we will be pursuing an amendment so that the gaps that have been identified are amended through a legislative process for us to have a more robust legal framework that will support the operations of BSCPG.
Earlier, the Executive Director (ED), Kukah Center, Fr Atta Barkindo, represented by the Project Manager, said everyone present at the meeting were a critical part of the journey and would remain part of the discussions, until they arrive at the final destination.
“We know the context in Nigeria, we know the security context in Benue state. Issues keep changing, issues keep coming up and it means that our strategies need to evolve from time to time to take care of these issue.”, he pointed out.
Speaking with the Legal and Policy Expert for the Project, Barr Justine Gbagir, explained that “I was engaged by The Kukah Center to assess the BSCPG Law. The intention is to look at the law and see whether there are gaps that can be filled in order to strengthen the law, because there is nothing that is made by man that is perfect; there is always room for improvement.
“So I have analysed the law, looked at it and made some recommendations that need to be taken into consideration and possibly the amendment of the law so that it will serve the overall objective for which it was enacted.
“We all know the prevailing insecurity in Nigeria and Benue state in particular, and the conventional police that we have, have been having a lot of challenges addressing the insecurity in the state and that is why some states, including Benue decided to establish their own security outfits.
“But as you know power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. So there have already been concerns in some quarters that State Police will be abused by the State Governors. So we are looking at a situation where we will not just have a state security outfit, but we are having a security outfit that is actually serving the interest of the people, which is the issue of security of lives and property of the Benue people.
Barr Gbagir, who is also the Executive Director, Justice and Rights Initiative, also noted that “So what we have done and with the stakeholders’ inputs we are hoping that an amendment will be proposed to enrich the law, so it will not just be about having a state security outfit in place, but having one that is working optimally to secure the lives of the Benue people”, he stressed.
On his part, the Special Adviser to Governor Hyacinth Alia, of Benue state on Internal Security, Chief Joseph Har, said, “Haven listened to all that have been presented it reflects what we will need as an outfit. The only thing is that the manual that we produced covered everything they said but because they were not privy to it, they didn’t know.
“But it is good that even though we captured it in the manual and we are doing what exactly should be done, of a truth it is not reflected in the law. So for them to say it should be reflected in the law is good and it’s a job well done”, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Leonard Viashima, Director General (DG), Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), said, “First of all I want to say congratulations to us in Benue state, particularly, to the BSCPG and to also say thank you to the Kukah Center, for stepping into Benue.
“Typically, at BICD, we welcome all partners in but the only instrument of partnership is the MoU, which is a light agreement between partners and the state and for Kukah Center, that has been executed today and we want to say congratulations to the Kukah Center.
“But to us it’s good news because now for the first time we have a partner who is coming in to strengthen a government agency such as the Civil Protection Guards that is managed by the governor’s office.
“So with the Kukah Center supporting the Civil Protection Guards, we are going to get more operation responses and one of the first thing that happens subsequently, is to look at the existing law that established the Protection Guards, so that they don’t support what is not backed by adequate law, hence we have to review that law and ensure that the law is captured in the way that when they provide the support they are not be working out of the ambit of the law.
“Also all stakeholders agreed that there are a few nuances in the law that needed to be checked and when that is checked and reviewed, we will have an update of that law. Even as it were, we have one of the best state run security outfits”, he stated.
In his remarks, the Tor Lobi His Royal Highness (HRH), Chief Moses Anageende commended the Kukah Center for its intension to train over two hundred personnel of the BSCPG and the move to review the law establishing the security outfit.
The State Commandant, Captain Ayuma Ajoibi, rtd, said the assessment of the law was timely, adding that it would further strengthen the Agency especially in the areas of discipline and recruitment amongst other things.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Dr Yangien Ornguga, represented by Barr Edward Yange, the Director, Legal Drafting in the Ministry signed for the State Government while the Project Manager, Terseer Bamber, signed on behalf of the Kukah Center.
Ornguga, states that the partnership with the Center would help to achieve the security challenges in the State. End.
Read the full article here
