Stakeholders at a one day advocacy/sensitization programme on the cost of vandalizing public property: the role of stakeholders organised by the Merit Chapel of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in collaboration with the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) have called for collective response to stop acts of vandalizing of public property.
In his own submission, the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Charity Iguodala Aiguobarueghian, who is the Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly, asserted that destruction of public property is a setback to government’s mission of providing quality governance.
He submitted that whenever such acts occur the government would have to source for funds to replace such damaged infrastructure, a situation which according to him diminishes the scarce resources that is at the government’s disposal.
The lawmaker charged that the members of the community should always endeavour to watch out and take charge of any such public property that’s prone to attack.
Hon. Chris Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, who was represented by one of the Directors in his Ministry, said that “vandalism can reduce the value of public property, including parks, historical buildings, or public spaces. This can have a negative impact on the perception of the area and potentially deter visitors or investors, leading to economic consequences for the community.”
Going further, he stated “the funds allocated to repairing or preventing vandalism could have been used for other community services or improvements. When public resources are diverted to address vandalism, it limits their utilisation in more productive ways, affecting the overall development and well-being of the community.”
Comrade Kelly Okungbowa (aka Ebo Stone), the National Coordinator of Youth4Youth, averred that those who vandalize public property are not ghosts “they’re members of the community. If anything happens in a community we should know that the people in that community are involved. What we need to do is awareness.”
He charged security personnel to engage in awareness which will go a long way in quelling such criminal tendencies, adding “most times I advice our youths when something is going on even when the government is not been fair to us it is not good for us to resort to self-help.”
In his own submission, Dan Samuel Okon, the Commandant of the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, disclosed that “any move or drive by the government or individual to stop wanton destruction of public or private property is seen as anti-vandalism. We may call it counter vandalism.”
He charged that the protection of critical assets whose destruction would have a negative effect on the economy should be a collective effort of all and sundry in a community. That it shouldn’t be left at the discretion of only the security operatives.
In his comments, Comrade Andy Egbon, the Secretary of the Edo State Council of the NUJ, who stood in for Comrade Festus Alenkhe, the Chairman, praised the efforts of the Merit Chapel in organizing the seminar which he described as apt in this period. He assured the chapel members of the Council’s support of any such laudable projects that they offer.
Earlier, while welcoming the guests, Comrade Kingsley Eben Enasco, Chairman of the Merit Chapel, affirmed that the programme was brought about to proffer enduring solution to the hydra headed issue of vandalism of public property.
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