By Gloria Osemudiamhen
The Edo State Government through the Office of the First Lady, has advocated for improved response time to distress calls by security agencies and personnel as well as the need to shun acts of corruption, which are said to be capable of tarnishing their reputation.
The Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani made the advocacy while addressing members of the Edo State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) at the Government House in Benin City. While commending their role of partnering with security personnel to ensure the safety of individuals and property in the State, she emphasised the need for integrity on the part of security personnel.
According to her, “What you do is highly commendable. Having you on the ground to complement the security personnel is a good job, because it is also not an easy thing. You must have integrity. It is important to me. We have police officers who have integrity and credibility, and are educated. They are bringing in different initiatives to make sure the work goes on. They are not biased and they are being fair. This Government is passionate about security.”
Mrs. Anani while lamenting that cases are often mishandled or distorted by the Police, said, “Cases brought to the police, such as rape cases, often get distorted when reported. We’ve raised concerns about this during our recent Gender-Based Violence quarterly meeting, and it’s a major issue. When a case is reported, and the police report differs from the initial account, it creates problems, and many cases go unsolved due to distortions.
“We urge you to investigate this further, as justice delayed is justice denied. While there are many issues, our primary concern is the welfare of girls and women, particularly in cases of domestic violence. When these cases are dismissed as ‘family matters,’ it undermines the severity of the issue. If it wasn’t serious, it wouldn’t reach the police station. We need interventions and proper handling of these cases, which are crucial to my office; the girl child and the female gender.”
The Chairman of PCRC, Edo State Command, Rev. Dr. Isaac Oshiobughie Itseghosimhe, represented by Pastor Ken Okungbowa, expressed gratitude to Mrs. Anani for her initiatives that have benefited a number of Edo residents. According to him, “We, the Edo State Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), pay a courtesy visit to express our profound appreciation for your tireless efforts and impactful initiatives since assuming office. Your leadership embodies the spirit of ‘educate a woman, you educate a nation.'”
Dr. Itseghosimhe enumerated the goals of PCRC to include enhancing police-community relations, preventing crime through collaborative efforts with the Nigeria Police Force, and supporting the Nigerian Police Force with welfare initiatives. Expressing concerns over the challenges mitigating against their effective service delivery, he solicited collaboration from the Office of the First Lady, saying, “We humbly request your financial support. Quarterly subvention for operational expenses, completion of our State Secretariat Building, and our Mega Security Conference. A vehicle to enhance our duties across the State.”
