By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has presented five Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the Nigeria Police Force.
Speaking on Thursday during the hand over ceremony at the Government House, Umuahia, Otti restated the state government’s commitment to enhancing the peace and security of the state.
The governor said that his administration upon assumption of office in 2023, met the vehicles in terrible states of disrepair and swung into action to get them functional because the vehicles have “long staying power”.
Otti said that he took the bold step of repairing the vehicles with the last one in Abuja for further repairs and refurbishing.
“When we came in exactly 20 months ago, on the 29th of May 2023, we saw littered here these vehicles in very terrible states of disrepair.
“I know that these vehicles have a long staying power, we took a very principle decision to refurbish one or two of them; by the time we started we found out that it was not too difficult.
“I authorized that about six of them be repaired, five of them are ready, completely retrofitted and they’re as good as new, while we are still struggling with the last one.
“It is all about maintenance and our belief is that never again would we allow our assets to be dilapidated in this state.
“A lot of things that we throw away can be easily fixed and we have demonstrated it,” he said.
Otti emphasised the need for the people of Abia to cultivate maintenance culture, because it takes a lot of money to repair dilapidated assets.
He urged the Police to ensure that the vehicles would be utilised appropriately with the application of regular maintenance.
“So I will charge the men that would use it to ensure they’re used carefully and anything that needs to be repaired, repair it quickly, because if you don’t, you will spend a lot to repair it.
“I am glad that we’re here today to return five of them to the police,” he said.
Responding, the Abia Commissioner of Police, Mr Danladi Isa, thanked the government for its numerous support to the Police.
Isa emphasised the importance of the Armoured Police Carriers in enhancing security operations.
He also promised that the vehicles would be judiciously used to enhance the peace and security in the state.(NAN)
