MTN Foundation Commends Osun's Security Records; Donates 5 Patrol Vans

The corporate social initiative arm of one if Nigeria’s leading communication service providers the MTN Nigeria Foundation on Tuesday commended the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for his administration’s commitment to the security of lives and property of the people of the state.

The Corporate Services Executive and Director of MTN Nigeria Foundatio‎n, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck stated this during a courtesy call and presentation of five security patrol vehicles by the Foundation to the state government.

Goodluck stated that the attention of the Foundation was ‎drawn to the security status of the state when it first came to Osogbo for her Iris eye project in 2013, saying the peace that envelope the state to the team was unprecedented.

He pointed out that the foundation will do its best to partner with the state in her determination to develop the state to an enviable height among the committee of states in Nigeria.

The Foundation boss said, “we have the best result on our first coming during our Iris Cataract surgery and other eye problems that we attended to in 2013.

“We have identified several areas that we can help, when we came then. We saw a lot of patrol vans and other security improvements and it is because of that that we have come to contribute our quota to the development of the already existing security in Osun”. Goodluck emphasised.

Responding, Governor Aregbesola noted that what the foundation noticed in terms of the security in the state was borne out the administration’s commitment to providing an atmosphere where lives and businesses can thrive.

He highlighted other areas where ‎the foundation can also be of help as the education sector where the state government is seriously committed to basic education, saying the state has provided a model of basic education to other states and the Federal government.

Aregbesola stated that security patrol vans presented to the state will be distributed to relevant security agencies in the state, adding that the vehicles will in no small way add to the efficiency of Police and other agencies in bringing crime to a zero level in the state.

‎He enjoined the service provider to improve on their data service connectivity in most of the towns of the state, stressing that the service provided stands to benefit from the various towns and higher institutions that the state is blessed with if data service is improved on.

The governor added that it will be of great security advantage if MTN provides free toll lines to the state-of-the art security emergency control centre built by the state and yet to get a short code from the Nigeria Communications Commission.

“Just as the Federal Road Safety Commission stated last week that our state recorded the least accident rate in our region so also do we proudly say that we are the most secured and best policed state in Nigeria. Your support will add to our effort.

“It would not also be out of place, if we ask that you provide us with some free lines for our security facility, because we still do not have a short code, which without it, it will be expensive for us to run, but if we have toll free lines it will go a long way to reduce cost.

“We will also appreciate your assistance in the area of education, we are seriously committed to education, particularly basic education. We want you to register us as a state that needs assistance on basic education”. The governor appealed to the Foundation.

Aregbesola urged the MTN to identify potential market opportunities for its services such as data hotpots which could facilitate learning and tourism.

The Governor noted that Osun is perhaps the state with the highest number of tertiary institutions given the number of universities (government and private) now resident in the state.

He said campuses of these institutions and relation parks and tourism sites in Osun are potentials locations the company can install it’s hotspots at considerate fees.