By Oki Samson
All is set for the 2023 edition of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) Annual Townhall Meeting on Security with the Executive Governor. Now in its 17th year, the meeting is themed ‘Security Complexities and Convergence: The Lagos State Imperatives. It will hold on Tuesday 12th December 2023 at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria island, Lagos at 10am.
Over the years, Trek Africa Newspaper can report that the annual event is a melting pot of innovative ideas and concepts where the government, private individuals, corporate organizations, CSOs, media, and the general public come together to discuss the varied dimensions of security in Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and West Africa’s economic hub, Lagos. Trek Africa Newspaper can also report that the event provides a veritable platform for the no.1 funding agency of security in Lagos, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to engage Lagosians and organizations resident in Lagos to donate and partner so that the security architecture in Lagos can be strengthened.
Executive Secretary/CEO, LSSTF, Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun speaking during the press briefing ahead of the 17th annual Town Hall Meeting with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Security.
Speaking further about the upcoming Townhall meeting, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun asserted: ‘It is a way of rendering our stewardship to Lagosians and particularly partners and donors to the Fund. It is a way that donors are kept abreast with the way their resources are spent or utilized. It would give the Governor, Gov. Sanwo-Olu to speak to Lagosians about the security strides and architecture of Lagos state and plans for the coming year. At the event, we will also have the Commissioner of Police render his report. This will avail citizens to ask questions, give suggestions, vent their disaffection in the state.’
‘The event has been the mainstay of this office. Lagosians look forward to it because it gives them the opportunity to interact and know what’s happening in the state. It is an event that has laid credence to the importance of this organization. When you have a secure state, things will flourish and people can live in peace and harmony. You can see how Lagos has attracted people not just because it is the economic capital of Nigeria but because it is pretty much a secure state. It is a concerted effort by the security agencies in the state and the support that the Lagos State Government, particularly, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) render to these organizations. It is important that we continue to discuss how to keep the state secured and also the funding of the security outfits in Lagos state’, Trek Africa Newspaper can report.
The Administrator of the LSSTF, Mr. Degbola Lewis added in a press briefing attended by Trek Africa Newspaper yesterday that ‘The theme is ‘Security Complexity and Convergence: The Lagos State Imperatives. Overtime, things like AI, Internet of things, smart materials, biotechnology, and others have further expanded the reach of crime. Crimes has evolved, the traditional way of having a policeman on the street chasing a thief or bandit is not exactly the way we will keep a metropolitan city like Lagos safe.’
‘We are looking at making everybody understand that our measures of combatting crime will involve a convergence of several methods like physical, technological, etc. You can see CCTV smart cameras that can detect vehicles and seeing things going on, these are the things we need to put together in order to combat crime. This is the direction we will be going.’
On the attendance details for the LSSTF Townhall meeting, the Assistant Secretary of the organization, Ada Onyeka revealed: ‘The event is strictly by invitation but we have the online platform where people can participate. We are at @followlsstf, @lagosstategovt on Instagram. @followlsstf on X (formerly known as, Twitter) and the event hashtag will be #17thtownhallmeeting
