By Oki Samson
CITIZENS COMPASS —As the foremost and most successful Security Trust Fund in the country, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, LSSTF received the counterpart team from Delta State Security Trust Fund (DSSTF) comprising of the Chairman and Board members, the Executive Secretary and management staff of DSSTF, National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) can report.
The team from the Delta State Security Trust Fund (DSSTF) had embarked on a working visit to the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) to understudy the activities of the Fund to equip themselves with prerequisite knowledge on how to run DSSTF effectively and successfully as the Fund has done in Lagos State.
The LSSTF put together onsite training sessions on modalities for operating an effective Trust Fund and also arranged visitations to some of the beneficiaries of the Fund, a tour of a world-class, indigenous security equipment manufacturing company, and a farewell dinner on the last day of their visit. It was noted that LSSTF has remained relevant and impactful even after 17 years of existence and its activities have resulted in Lagos being perceived as the safest city in Nigeria. The success recorded by the Fund has made other
Trust Funds seek to understudy it.
As part of his welcome address in a press statement made available to NAOSNP, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun expressed hope that the purpose of the working visit by the team from DSSTF would be achieved and replicated in their state. In the course of the training, he stated that the strongest feature and mainstay of the Fund is in its accountability and judicious use of resources both in its operations and security interventions to security agencies. It places a major focus on maintenance and that’s why its assets remain functional lasting up to 12 years and more.
The LSSTF deliberately operates a lean workforce to ensure that the bulk of resources raised are targeted at security support to these agencies. The Fund also lays emphasis on training and retraining of security agencies, especially in areas of communication and how to deal with members of the public.
Another strong point and reason for the success recorded by the Fund was in the caliber of individuals appointed by the Governor of the State to the Board of Trustees of the Fund. They have been men of high repute who are accomplished in private endeavors, influential, and see the job as an opportunity to give back to the State. These individuals are the fundraisers as they leverage on their position and industry to reach out to other colleagues and partners to raise funds to sustain the activities of LSSTF.
Subsequently, the LSSTF management, led by the Executive Secretary, took the DSSTF delegation on a visit to the Lagos Neighborhood Safety Agency (LNSA) and also to the Equipment and Protective Applications International Limited (EPAIL) on a tour of the company’s factory and its operations.
There was a presentation ceremony organized to round up the working visit by the delegation from DSSTF including Certificates of Attendance, plaque presentations, photo sessions, etc. A farewell dinner was also hosted by the Fund.
