The socio-cultural organisation of the Yoruba-speaking people in Kogi State, Okun Development Association (ODA), has inaugurated the working committees of the Okun Security Trust Fund (OSTF).
Tagged, “Launching of OSTF Working Committees”, the event was held at the weekend in Abuja.
OSTF is the creation of ODA as a special-purpose vehicle aimed at raising funds and driving security plans and strategies towards tackling the growing wave of insecurity in the region.
For result-oriented purposes, the existing “Okun Security Implementation Committee is split into three working committees, namely the Board of Trustees, the Technical and Strategy Committee and the Funds Mobilisation Committee”, which are expected to translate the security plans and strategies under the OSTF into effective and coordinated actions “to protect Okun people, assets and infrastructure, as well as ensure peace and harmony.”
In his address, Chairman of the Okun Security Implementation Committee and former National Director, State Security Service (SSS), Dr Williams Toyin Akanle, described the roles of the various committees as vital under the OSTF towards “building a stronger (and) more resilient future together.”
Noting the strategic nature of the Funds Mobilisation Committee towards achieving the set goals, Akanle, however, emphasised: “By the committees working in unison, we can ensure our security initiatives are comprehensive and sustainable. A key element of our success lies in community involvement and strong partnerships with the state government and the formal security agencies. We believe that an engaged community and collaborative efforts with these entities are essential to creating effective security solutions.”
A former governorship candidate and businessman, Otunba Olayinka Braimoh, who was named to the membership of the Technical and Strategy Committee, called for more active participation of political representatives from Okunland and Kogi West.
In his remarks, ODA’s President-General, Ambassador Akenson Rotimi, expressed hope that the inauguration ceremony would enable the operationalisation, in a result-oriented manner, of the concept of OSTF.
