Umakhihe Calls For Strengthening Of Police / Community Relations Committee
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
One of the frontline governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe has promised overhaul and strengthen Police-Community Relations Committee as a panacea towards solving the insecurity bedeviling Edo State.
Dr. Umakhihe’s made the promise while presenting his Manifesto titled “A Fresh Start for a Shared Posterity”.
According to him, the PCRC has a crucial role to play in crime prevention and detection. It will help to bridge the socio-psychological gap that exists between the Police and the public .
Recall that Dr. Umakhihe had penultimate Saturday flagged off his governorship bid in Afuze, the administrative headquarters of Owan East Local Government Area, witnessed by top APC leaders in the state, including his supporters, well-wishers and associates.
In the manifesto, the recently retired Federal Permanent Secretary (PS) who could not resist the pressure of well meaning Edo citizens to come into the political fray due to his very impressive performance and competence as a Civil Servant, intends to accord security premium priority in the scheme of things .
Top on the list is the safety of human lives and properties, arguing further that these ought to be the primary worry of any government .
He posited further that much as security is on the Exclusive List, it does not rule out the prospect of building a robust and resilient synergy between the Federal, State, and Traditional Institutions.
Giving an insight into how he intends to tackle insecurity if elected, he said that while acknowledging the existence of the PCRC, Neighbourhood Watch, and the Constabulary Scheme as well as the Traditional Institutions in various localities, he will strengthen them to make for seamless intelligence gathering and prompt but decisive response
The Manifesto also laid out Policy options for Agriculture, Education, Food Security, Crime Prosecution as well as the early resolution of boundary disputes which it identified as the major causes of insecurity across the States.