To effectively tackle Nigerias worsening insecurity threat and challenges which have adverse effects on economic growth and investments, experts have called for public and private sector collaboration.
This was discussed at the seventh edition of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) ‘Security Meets Business Dialogue‘, which was held recently.
At the event, the LCCI president, Michael Olawale-Cole, said that Nigeria ranked 146th position among 163 countries in the global peace index, with confirmations that improvements in peace can lead to considerable economic improvement in GDP growth, inflation, and employment.
The Chambers’ president also said that the Government needs to separate politics from security and vice-versa, especially as the election year approaches, while the needed funding for defence operations to equip the military with the most advanced weaponry and intelligence infrastructure is sustained”.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Lucky Irabor, in his address, said that there is a nexus between security and economic prosperity noting that a high level of insecurity will lead to a bad business climate and reduced investment inflow.
Irabor, who was represented by the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Adeyemi Yekini, said Nigeria is currently facing a myriad of challenges in achieving security which is affecting the country in numerous ways; these include insurgency, kidnapping, armed banditry, etc.
Highlighting the efforts of the armed forces in fighting security threats, he said they have embarked on various strategic activities including partnering with other security agencies when necessary as well as other countries.
On his part, the Secretary to the Federal Government, (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the Government is highly disturbed by the escalation of the insecurity challenges, especially seeing that many Nigerians have turned it into a business venture they can make a profit from.
Mustapha, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the SGF, Andrew Adejoh, also
said that Government has always supported any initiative that seeks to complement the FGs efforts in combating insecurity.
He added that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the country has a good business environment for foreign and local investors to thrive and in doing that has developed new policies, which includes community policing, national defence policy, policy on public safety and security and national cyber-security strategy.
