the Security Icon in governance in West and Central Africa Awards.
The award was conferred on the Governor at the 16th Africa Security
Watch Awards, held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Organised by Security Watch Africa, it was in recognition of efforts by
individuals, institutions and governments in Africa at ensuring security
of life and property.
Anambra state set the pace yet again during the awards ceremony which
has a theme: “Celebration of Africa’s Best In Security, Safety And
Governance”.
Anambra State alone, carted away five significant Awards in different
categories from the event.
Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang won the Best Crime
Bursting Police Chief in West Africa award while the Chief Security
Officer to Gov. Obiano, Mr Chinedu Aniagboso, a Chief Superintendent of
Police, received the Best Executive Protection Security Officer in West
and Central Africa.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, Mr Haruna
Mohammed, a Superintendent of Police, received the Most Outstanding
Police Public Relations Officer in West Africa.
Mr Williams Oduma, a Chief Superintendent of Police, won the Best Police
Operations Officer in Nigeria. Mr Oduma is the Anambra State Police
Operations Officer.
To cap the event, the Anambra State Police Command won awards as the
Best Crime Bursting Police Command in Nigeria.
Gov. Obiano was given the opportunity present and an address entitled:
“Crime Prevention, Control and Fighting in an Emerging Economy –The
Anambra Case Study (Global Security Outlook: Challenges, Impediments and
Prospects for a Secured Africa) at the ceremony.
The governor was represented during the occasion by his Special Adviser
on creative security, Retired Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi.
Obiano remarked that Anambra state like most states had its fair share
of security challenges, insisting that his administration made a choice
to take a definite stand against crime in recognition of the fact that
no development could take place without a provision of adequate safety
and security.
The governor’s commitment to security was a deliberate choice as it was
an effort conscientiously made in addition to presence of mind
consistently focused on crime-fighting.
According to him, the first major step is recognising that every
developmental plan of the administration must be anchored on robust and
integrated security system — a system without which every effort will
be either frustrated or whittled to a point of losing the desired impact
or worse, ending in futility.
“This is my resolve to articulate ideas and develop a master plan that
will became evident in organising Nigeria’s first International Security
Conference, which was put together shorty after I was sworn in as
governor of Anambra state.
“We organised Nigeria’s first International Security Conference and
hired an Israeli security expert to facilitate it.
“Several hours of brainstorming on peculiarities of Anambra security
scenario, led to the drafting of blueprint that became the famous
Anambra State Security Architecture.
“The blueprint was implemented to the letter as I upgraded all security
equipment and facilities in the state.
“I donated operational vehicles and launched several security
operations to combat crime in the state. The progressive efforts
eventually led to launch of security operation codenamed operation
Kpochapu – a joint task force to intensify the fight against crime,”
Obiano said.
“Operation Kpochapu has now evolved into digital security and
surveillance systems in the second phase, marking the advancement of
Anambra State into a new model.”
On October 11, the Anambra State Government shocked Africa with an
unprecedented deployment of mobile security surveillance systems in the
state.
Again, the government complemented this with the donation of 111 smart
cars and 71 motorbikes to security agencies in the state. This is to
show the commitment of Gov. Obiano in ensuring that the Anambra State
remained crime-free.
This provision of these modern equipment and operational vehicles as
well as enhanced incentives for the personnel, has aided immensely in
crime fighting in the state and in repositioning Anambra as the safest
state in Nigeria.
Investments and businesses opportunities have improved tremendously,
going forward. What is more, Anambra has become the fourth largest
economy in Nigeria with the lowest poverty rate and a GDP of $11.83bn
and a per capita income of $1,615.
Today, the state is home to the first indigenous Vehicle Manufacturing
Company in Nigeria, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing located at Nnewi.
Investments in agriculture have grown massively over the years with many
sons of Anambra as well as others investing billions of naira in the
sector. The latest examples are Coscharis Farms, Lynden Farms, Stine
Rice Mill, Josan farms.
The hospitality business has also grown with new, world-standard hotels
springing up in the state.
The engagement and empowerment of youths in government and other skill
development initiatives have facilitated a sharp decline in youth
restiveness.
Through, the Anambra State Business Agency (ASBA), many youths have
secured loans to support their businesses, thus ensuring rapid growth in
youth entrepreneurship.
The light-up Anambra project – the installation of street lights across
the state to complement the strides in security – on its part, has
ensured a considerable extension in business hours in the state.
It can be said without doubt, that Anambra is gradually edging toward
having 24 hour economy. All these have been achieved because solid
foundation of security and safety that has been laid.
It is, therefore, not surprising that Gov. Obiano’s commitment to safety
and security has continued to earn him awards and recognitions.
He has won many awards in the past on account of his developmental
strides in every sphere of the state’s economy and more for his
relentless effort in crime-fighting.
Obiano won the award as the Best Governor/Premier on Security
Architecture in West and Central Africa in Banjul Gambia during the 15th
edition of the Africa Security Watch Awards.
On October 28, the Nigeria Police Force honoured Gov. Obiano with Best
Governor Award in Supporting Security Architecture in recognition of his
tremendous support to the Anambra State Police Command.
On October 2018, Obiano won the Presidency Awards as most outstanding
governor on worker’s welfare. This buttresses the fact that the governor
does not joke with remuneration of workers, including security
personnel.
Since inception of his administration, Obiano has paid salaries as and
when due. In 2016, Obiano had won the prestigious Zik prize for
leadership for his stellar performance and visionary leadership just
after two years in office.
In February 2016 he was crowned the Sun Man of the Year by the Sun
newspaper. Obiano also won the Silverbird’s man of the year award in
2016 for achievements in education, massive infrastructure development
and prudent management of resources.
There is nothing more reassuring to a people than the knowledge that the
person they elected into office has made a choice to protect their life
and property.
Apart from the fact that the fundamental concern of every human being is
security and safety, it is reassuring and gratifying when a leader does
just that.
While many nations and states grapple with issues of security, others
are proactively making choices to always stay one step ahead of
criminals and ensure the safety of life and property.
Gov. Obiano was decided when he chose security as tops in his priority
especially with regards to current realities in a constantly evolving
world.
This was captured succinctly in his concluding remarks. “The world is
united by one anxiety – the challenge of securing life and property; the
challenge of living in a society, where our freedoms are not limited by
fear.
“Ladies and gentlemen, humanity today is united by decreasing
boundaries of freedom forced upon us by an increasingly unsafe world.
But in Anambra state, we have chosen to live safe and to live free!”.