Worried by the growing insecurity in the country, the International Association of Lions Clubs, District 404-B2, has called on the security agencies to reevaluate and adjust their strategies to curb the activities of criminal elements in society.
The respected club argues that the strategies being adopted by the various security agencies have failed to stem the rising cases of killings, kidnappings, and other heinous crimes. They add that citizens are losing hope in the government on a daily basis.
The Multiple Council Chairperson of the Club, Lion Abiodun Samuel, spoke while addressing newsmen at the commencement of its 10th National Convention themed: “Serving Together to Succeed in the Land of Honour” in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital. Samuel urged governments at all levels to be more proactive in preventing insecurity by utilizing technological approaches to track criminals.
He advised the Ekiti state government to allocate more resources to security and incorporate local security networks into the security outfit to reduce criminal activities in the state.
According to him, “We should commend the security agencies for tracking down criminals. However, the government should be more proactive in prevention rather than just responding. They should use technology to track down criminals and allocate more resources to security.”
The District Governor, Lion Professor Emmanuel Fagbohun, stated that the club would rebuild the ophthalmology center at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and provide more equipment for the facility to make it one of the top-notch healthcare centers in the country.
He said the club, in its humanitarian services, has intervened in the development of the health sector in Ekiti and other states, including the building of the Lions Diabetes Screening and Treatment Centre at EKSUTH, the Millennium Eye Centre at the University of Medical Sciences in Akure, Ondo State, Diabetes Screening and Training Centres in Osun and Lagos States, Eye Care Project in General Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, Osun state.
Other interventions include the Lions Clubs Diabetes Centre, Ogoja, Cross Rivers State, Eye Treatment Centre, General Hospital, Ikeja, Childhood Cancer Caregiver Home, FMC, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Olushola Dada Dialysis Centre, LUTH, Lagos State, and the construction of Accident Clinics in Sagamu, Aba, and Zaria, among others.
He said, “We will rebuild part of the ophthalmology center at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) and add more equipment to make it one of the best in the country. The plan is underway, and we hope to complete the project soon.”
Speaking on the purpose of the convention, Fagbohun said it is to create awareness about the club, expand the membership space worldwide, organize capacity-building programs to train members, and award outstanding members who have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the club.
With its membership strength in 200 countries, the association boasts 400 clubs and 10,000 members in Nigeria, 1.4 million members worldwide, with a goal to expand to 1.5 million by 2027.
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