…as FG lands donation
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has praised the Aliko Dangote Foundation for donating fully fitted 150 operational vehicles to the Police
The vice-president said the vehicles would assist in combating crime and described the Foundation Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as a rare entrepreneur who has done so much to grow the nation’s economy.
He said the government needed people like Dangote to join hands with it to grow the economy and provide jobs for the youths.
He said: “There have been a lot of talks on private-public partnership, but as we can see Alhaji Dangote is walking the talk.
“Government’s role is to provide the enabling environment while the private sector should take advantage of the opportunities that abound to grow and develop the economy.
”The donation of 150 cars to the Nigerian Police Force is laudable and we thank Aliko Dangote Foundation for this rare gesture which is characteristic of the person of Aliko Dangote.
“He has shown over the years to be an entrepreneur with a difference, a man that gives so much to the poor”
Describing the donation as the single largest by any private individual to a security outfit, Osibanjo urged other Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to effectively secure the country.
Dangote explained that the donation was imperative considering the importance of security to the economy.
He said: “We are gathered here today to mark the formal handover of a total number of 150 GAC saloon cars to the Nigeria Police Force in order to help boost their operational efficiency.
“I am told that today marks the single biggest number of operational vehicles ever donated to the law enforcement agency by a private organisation.
“Considering the challenges government face in meeting the needs of the populace for necessities like health, education and security, various Public Private Partnerships (PPP) initiatives have been developed.”
The Foundation, according to Dangote, has been active in the areas of health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief, adding that it had expended up to N10 billion annually.
While calling on other corporate organisations to rise up to the challenge, Dangote said his Foundation donated N50 million to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), and built the Police Intelligence Hostel Complex in Kwara State.
“Today, we are deepening our intervention in security with the donation of these 150 fully-kitted operational vehicles to the Police Force. These vehicles will support the Nigeria Police Force in surveillance, crime prevention and promote law and order.”
Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris promised that the cars would be well-utilised for the purpose for which they were donated.
He urged Nigerians to go about their business lawfully, noting that the Police were well-equipped more than ever before to fight crime across the country.
Chairman of the CIG Motors Nigeria Limited Chief Diana Chan, said the action had thrown a challenge to other private sector operators to come to the aid of the security agencies.
