Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research Stakeholders’ Summit Advocates  Protection of Critical Infrastructures, Assets

The Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research has expressed concern as a result of the spate of insecurity challenges bedeviling the country and organized a summit on “Domesticating Stakeholders Statutory Responsibilities in Protecting Nigeria’s Critical Infrastructures And Assets.”

The Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research stated that the essence of the summit which was earlier held at Port Harcourt and Abuja is to domesticate the proceedings at the Zonal levels and Host Communities on the statutory responsibilities in protecting Nigeria’s critical infrastructures and assets.

A statement issued and signed by Chiakor Alfred, PhD, Chief of Strategic Planning and Innovations, Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research Head of Secretariat, Coordinating Committee, noted that the last two decades have demonstrated clearly that the nature of threats to Nigeria’s security have changed significantly, stressing that structural challenges, such as the systematic vandalisation, degradation and destruction of Nigeria’s critical national infrastructures, monuments and business assets; terrorism, insurgency, cybercrimes, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, oil bunkering, drug trafficking and other forms of organised crime, have created an entirely new security environment.

Alfred lamented that Nigeria now faces more security threats that have different characteristics from classic military conflict between states, adding that the gross expansion of the contours that define security boundaries makes it imperative to recognize the eco-systemic dimensions of the threats that stare at us daily and in every form.

According to him, “the rampancy and intensity of the vandalisation and destruction of Nigeria’s infrastructures and assets prompted the call to arms by His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR – President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Armed Forces, Intelligence and Security Establishment and all Nigerians to see it as a patriotic duty to ensure maximum vigilance and shared responsibility in the protection and security of these Assets and platforms at all points in their life-cycle.”

He declared that the South – South Zonal Stakeholders Summit is therefore a Private/Public Sector Partnership that aims at galvanizing responsibility and synergy for the prioritization of the Multi Agency/Joint Risk Management Efforts to ensure the security and resilience of Nigeria’s critical national assets, in line with the Risk Management Framework of the National Protection Policy and Strategy 2022 (CNAINPPS 2022), and also, the Critical National Infrastructure Bill under consideration at the National Assembly.

In his words: “The South – South Zonal Stakeholders Summit aims to intensify advocacy for Stakeholders Statutory Responsibilities. It shall also engender the re-engineering of appropriate legislations; and the strategic roadmap for harnessing expert knowledge and country wide technical support for deterrence, codified response strategy and recovery architecture to Nigeria’s critical assets. Equally important is the desire to seek renewed commitment to the challenges impacting the integrity of critical infrastructures and assets in the Region, especially the vandalisation and destruction of its complex ecosystem of separate yet interconnected infrastructures in the Oil and Gas; Telecommunications, Transportation and Power Sectors.

“To achieve the projected outcome and also sustain confidence building, diverse Stakeholders are mobilized to discuss the challenges impacting the integrity, operations and security of these critical infrastructures and Assets and also seek possible solutions and suggestions. The Stakeholders being mobilized to the Summit include but are not limited to: Nigeria’s National and State Legislatures; the Armed Forces, Security and Intelligence Agencies; Statutory Regulators in the diverse Sectors of Nigeria’s productive economy; Investors/ Business Owners; Operators of the Infrastructures and Assets; Professional and Civil Society Organizations; the Traditional Institution, Socio Cultural and Pressure Groups, etc.

“By building inter/multi sectoral synergy, the Summit shall engender Stakeholders and citizens with shared responsibilities towards achieving the institutionalization of the road map and priorities of the policy frameworks crafted to provide deterrence, security and resilience of Nigeria’s assets. It is also the expectation of the Conveners that the derivatives from the Summit shall enhance knowledge leadership & management, regenerate confidence in securing Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria’s productive Sectors; and also boost capital growth and turnkey business startups and development.”

He explained that the security of lives, infrastructures, monuments and assets is the collective responsibility of every citizen, whether private or public, adding that the issues of security, destruction of lives and property know neither religion nor ethnicity.

The body, therefore called for the partnership and support of all stakeholders, both in the Public and Private Sectors, with diverse political, religious and professional orientations to put aside all prejudices to help forge a common front to confront the monster that is threatening the integrity of our corporate existence as a people and as a nation.

He stated that it is time also to live the slogan that says “if you see something, say something. If you hear something, do something”.

He stated further that it is incumbent on us all to engage robustly on how to deter and mitigate these challenges in a systematic and coordinated manner, adding that by this way, we can be sure of preserving our collective heritage and sanctity of our God endowed resources, both human, technical and material.

He appealed to the patriotic professionals of the fourth estate of the realm to see this summit as a call to duty and help disseminate the information to a wide domestic and global audience.