ASK not what your country can do
for you but what you can do for your country.” –John F. Kennedy
This popular maxim formed the
basis of the action of the immediate past Divisional Police Officer in charge
of Trans Amadi Division in Rivers State Police Command, Assistant Commissioner
of Police, Sola Akinyede, when he decided to change the face of the Division,
not by renovating, but by constructing an entirely new building for the
Divisional Police Officer.
Though he was the incumbent DPO
when he started the construction of the building, Akinyede did the work with
the thought of leaving behind a good legacy, knowing very well that he would
not tarry long at the Division because his promotion to the next rank was
imminent then. He was deterre because of belief in the quoted maxim above, and
also because he is someone with the belief that as a public office holder, one
should leave a place better than the way one met it.
So it was an elated Assistant
Commissioner of Police Akinyede who invited his bosses, starting from the state
Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature to the Deputy Commissioners of Police,
Assistant Commissioners of Police, other officers and men of the Nigeria Police
Force in Rivers State Police Command, traditional rulers, local government
chairmen, representatives of corporate organizations, community members, as
well as friends, to celebrate the completion and commissioning of the DPO’s
office on Wednesday, January 21, 2015.
The large and airy DPO’s office
is fixed with air conditioners and comfortable settees for visitors while all
necessary security measures that could safeguard the life of the DPO were also
considered and included the building construction.
In his welcome address during the
commissioning, the former DPO, who has been posted out of the state command
because of his elevation to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police in
October 2014, said that he was moved to construct a new structure as the
office of the Divisional Police Officer, Trans-Amadi Division, because the
structure he met on ground was “not befitting”.
He disclosed that on his
resumption of office the police station on June 24, 2014, during the
administration of the current Assistant Inspector General of Police, Tunde
Ogunsakin as Rivers State Commissioner of Police, he discovered that the existing
DPO’s office at Trans Amadi Division did not suit the status of DPO, in
addition to the fact that it was close to station cell. This, he pointed out,
could expose the DPO to danger.
“Bearing in mind the vision of
our pragmatic Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, rather than complain
about the situation, I resorted to borrowing a leaf from the mission statement
of the IG which is ‘to provide safety and security in Nigerian communities’”,
Akinyede stated.
In addition, the Assistant
Commissioner of Police said he ruminated over the popular statement of 35th
president of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy, and decided to
share his dream with senior officers of the Division. He said he also felt the
need to renovate a recreational hall which could serve as a temporary
accommodation for the rank and file of the Division, as well as other policemen
on special duties.
“I appealed to corporate bodies
doing business within our jurisdiction and other good citizens of Rivers State
to partner with us in making the vision a reality. To God be the glory, the
building was completed in a spate of five months,” Akinyede told the guests
that graced the occasion.
The AC also thanked those who
partnered with him by contributing materials, cash and technical expertise to
make the project a huge success.
Speaking at the occasion, the
Rivers State Commissioner of Police, who was represented by the Deputy
Commissioner of Police, Alkali Shaba said that Akinyede deserved commendation
for doing a very good job. The CP noted that many DPOs had passed through the
Division without putting such a structure in place, saying that what Akinyede
did depicted him as a good leader who was leaving a good legacy after his
promotion.
“This project will remain forever
and the name of the DPO who constructed it can never be forgotten whenever the
building is mentioned. If Akinyede had decided to pocket all the cash and
materials he was given, nobody would have known; but he decided to use them for
the good of all. The Command is very happy with him,” Bature stated.
He challenged other DPOs to
emulate the good gesture by taking initiatives that would develop their
Divisions.
One of the invited guests, the
Caretaker Chairman, Port Harcourt City Council, Nnamdi Nwuche, in his comments said
it was amazing to witness what a great police officer had done, not only for
his officers and men, but for the entire people of Port Harcourt.
Saying that he was happy to be
associated with the development the police station had brought to Trans Amadi
area, Nwuche added that there is no way the police station would be mentioned
in the future without making reference to AC Sola Akinyede.
Also, the paramount ruler of
Oginigba, the community under which the police station falls, Eze Gershon
Bekwele Odum praised the efforts of the AC in constructing the new office,
while he appealed that the police station should be addressed with its proper
name which is Oginigba police station, instead of Trans Amadi police station
which it is being called by all and sundry.
AC Akinyede also used the
occasion to introduce the new DPO posted to the Division, CSP Tissing Nandiyak,
after which awards were presented to senior police officers. This was followed
by the cutting of the tape by DC Shaba to open the new office for use.
Present at the occasion were the
Area Commander, Metro, AC Aliyu Garba, the Command’s PRO, Muhammadu Ahmad and
other dignitaries from corporate organisations
Tags
Society
we need more people like this police DPO! keep up the good job sir.
ReplyDelete