Anambra Information And Culture Commissioner Mefor Pledges Support To New CP
*Seeks Police Partnership To Drive Governor Soludo’s Value Reformation Agenda
By Rose Oranye
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, alongside the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Hon. Udoji Amedu, and the Chairman of the Non-Indigenous Welfare Association, Anambra State, Chief Great Ugwuoke, on Thursday paid a courtesy visit to the newly-deployed Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Command, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, at the Police Headquarters in Amawbia.
Addressing the CP, Dr Mefor pledged his ministry’s support for his administration and sought collaboration on the state’s Value Reformation agenda.
“Your return as Commissioner of Police is a homecoming. About a decade ago, you served as Area Commander in Anambra. Based on your track record, we are confident that Anambra is in for a positive experience. The security architecture has received a new impetus with your arrival,” Mefor said.
He commended the progress made in security since Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo assumed office on March 17, 2022, noting that eight local government areas were then under siege.
“Today, we can no longer say even one community is under siege. We know the job is not fully done, but compared to where we are coming from, we have every reason to thank God and to thank the Anambra State Police Command.
“In the few weeks you have been here, the police have consistently performed their duties effectively. The Command records acts of heroism almost every day. Since your arrival, policing in Anambra is only getting better,” the commissioner said.
He further stated that the Ministry of Information now has an added responsibility and mandate of value reformation and is building a “coalition of the willing” to drive it.
“We believe the police have a very pivotal role to play in the value reformation agenda of the Soludo administration. You are already involved in enlightenment, sensitisation, anti-cult, anti-terrorism, and anti-drug abuse campaigns. That is partly what value reformation is about. We need to collaborate effectively,” he said.
To strengthen policing, Dr.Mefor advocated for community policing and incentivised whistleblowing, stressing that with about 9 million people in Anambra, the police need the support of town unions and PGs to extend their reach.
“Police work with information. “Unknown gunmen” are not spirits. They have families in town. We must persuade our people to give up criminal and criminal gangs,” he said.
He also proposed to introduce a weekly public engagement programme on Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), where DPOs would interact directly with citizens, saying that it would build a bridge between the people and the police.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Hon. Udoji Amedu, assured the CP of the support of their constituencies in promoting peace and security in the state.
Responding, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, noted that effective policing goes beyond enforcing laws, stressing that security personnel must understand the cultural heritage, traditions, values and peculiarities of the communities they serve.
Ama called for sustained collaboration between the police, relevant ministries, traditional institutions, community leaders and other stakeholders to enhance public confidence, deepen community engagement and promote sustainable peace and security across Anambra.