The Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences, has seek for the cooperation of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) in crime combating and effective reporting of its activities in the State.

Its Chairman, CSP Shola Jejeloye who led his senior officers on courtesy visit on CRAN members at the Oduduwa Street Media Center of the Association seek ways of collaborating in the task of making crime free Lagos and clean environmental atmosphere.

According to Jejeloye, the place of journalists as critical stakeholders in the discharge of the responsibilities of the Task Force cannot be under- estimated as the media had helped his predecessors in office to succeed over the years.

The Chairman noted that, apart from informing members of the public about the activities of the Task Force, the media usually play vital role of advising the Commission where and when necessary and also help in educating the public on the statutory functions of the Task Force officials.

He has therefore solicited more unfettered collaboration with CRAN members during his tenure so as to excel in the discharge of his duty.

Welcoming the Taskforce team, the CRAN President, Comrade Odita Sunday noted that the relationship between the Task Force and the Association was more symbiotic in nature, with explanation that past leaderships of the Commission had carried journalists along in the discharge of their duties.

Odita urged the new Chairman to maintain or improve on the status quo since the media is the only way members of the public would know about the good work they are doing.

He also charged him to operate an open door policy that does not allow tribalism to dent his administration image because of the cosmopolitan status of Lagos State.

Contributing, other members of CRAN in attendance urged the Chairman on the need to always admonish his officers in the field to always play by the rules and avoid any monstrous posturing that would remind the public of military era.

“We are not in a military era where everything is by coercion. Let the Task Force officials be more civil in their activities” CRAN members advised.

The journalists while appreciating the new Chairman for taking time to visit them few days after assumption of office, pledged to cooperate with him in sofar as things are done according to the statutory mandate of the Task Force.

It will be recalled that CSP Shola Jejeloye was appointed last month to replace the former Chairman, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi who is now the incumbent Commander of the Rapid Response Squad