ASHENEWS reports that a non-governmental organisation, The Noble Minds Initiative has decried the spate of vandalism of public infrastructure in Nigeria.
A statement issued on Friday by the organisation’s Head of Media, Harajana Ragada said that the National BOT chairman of the task force, Ikechukwu Chukwu, stated this during the inauguration of the group’s national, state, and local government officials, patrons, and matron.
The event which took place at the Lungi Barracks Officers Mess, Maitama, Abuja had in attendance government officials, and executives of the task force from all over Nigeria.
Chukwu, in his remarks, emphasised the importance of collective efforts in protecting the nation’s infrastructure and resources.
He therefore urged the newly inaugurated officials to work tirelessly in promoting the NGO’s objectives and ensuring a safer and more prosperous Nigeria.
Speaking further, the newly inaugurated Niger State Commissioner for the Task Force, Adamu Mashegu assured that his Niger State team will work tirelessly to eliminate looting, bunkering, exploitation and hoarding.
“We will collaborate with stakeholders, engage communities, and support our security agencies to achieve our goals. I pledge to lead with integrity, transparency, and accountability. I urge all members of the task force to join me in this commitment,” Mashegu said.
Similarly, the former Sectary to the Niger State government, Ahmed Matane in his address decried exploitation, especially of workers in the extractive sector.
Matane, who is the patron for the Niger State team noted that Noble Minds Initiative seeks to foster the protection of national assets ranging from petroleum, oil and gas and solid minerals.
“These sectors are faced with major challenges like illegal exploitation and lack of protection from exploiters who are sometimes foreigners. In Niger state, we have had experiences with illegal miners targeting Zuma Rock and other related rocks and they exposed them to unorthodox exploration. The government had to intervene to ensure that sanity was presented otherwise we would have lost the Zuma Rock which is a national asset,” he emphasized.
Matane noted that the initiative will foster collaboration with relevant institutions on the need to protect Nigeria’s national assets.
