The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has reiterated his commitment to ensuring the highest standards of administration to enhance the welfare of Nigerian Army personnel and their families.
This was contained in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday by Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu.
According to the statement, General Lagbaja believes that this policy will boost troops’ morale and ultimately enhance operational effectiveness across the various theatres of operations in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
He made this declaration in his remarks at the opening ceremony of the Combat Arms Training (CAT) Week on Tuesday, held at the Ihejirika Auditorium, Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna State.
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The COAS further stated that he considers this year’s CAT Week theme, “Sound Administration: A Panacea for Improved Combat Arms’ Efficiency in a Joint Environment,” to be very apt and relevant.
He emphasised that sound administration has been established as one of the key indices that enhance the operational efficiency of all formidable military forces throughout history.
General Lagbaja, noting his extensive experience living in the barracks, acknowledged the challenges of poor barracks accommodation, infrastructure decay in NA medical centers, schools, and other administrative issues negatively impacting unit administration.
He revealed that he has initiated intervention programs, specifically in the areas of accommodation, credit financing, and other family support schemes, to enhance troops’ morale and build family resilience.
He cataloged such interventions to include the COAS Empowerment Loan and the Affordable Housing Ownership Option for All Soldiers (AHOOAS) schemes. “We have structured our intervention plan to make it more encompassing and adaptive to the prevalent economic reality of the nation,” he pointed out.
The Army Chief clarified that this year’s CAT Week, being his maiden one as COAS, presents an opportunity to restate his desire to improve the combat arms’ capabilities towards achieving the Nigerian Army’s constitutional obligations.
He challenged the Combat Arms to leverage the skills and competencies inherent in the Support Corps to enhance their doctrine and capabilities needed to defeat contemporary threats.
General Lagbaja expressed gratitude to President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unflinching support to the NA. He assured of the unalloyed loyalty of officers and soldiers of the NA.
Addressing participants at the CAT Week, the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, who was represented by the State’s Commissioner for Security and Homeland Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, saluted the courage and resilience of troops in confronting the menace of terrorism and insurgency in the country.
He stressed that the expanded footprints of the ongoing operations have brought further succor to troubled areas and Kaduna State in particular.
He averred that the CAT Week’s review of sound administration resonates with global best practices and is indicative of the mutual resolve to bring about a safe and secure Nigeria under the current leadership.
He disclosed that efforts are in the offing to propose a security fund bill to promote the fight against security challenges.
The Commander Infantry Corps, Major General Olufemi Oluyede, had earlier noted that in meeting the need for a ‘Whole of Society’ approach to tackling contemporary security challenges, the CAT Week provides a platform for harnessing the collective effort of all stakeholders in addressing the current security challenges in the country.
The opening ceremony of the CAT Week drew participants from all walks of life, including the economic, defense, and security sectors, as well as the traditional institution, with the presence of His Royal Highness, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, the Emir of Zauzau, former COAS Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (retired), and other serving and retired Army Officers.
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