Govt releases N28m for repair of Ikeja Cantonment
From Isa Abdusalami,
Jos
TO ensure safety of lives and property at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos and its environs, the Federal Government has released N28 million for the barracks' rehabilitation, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai said in Abuja yesterday.
Also at a military event in Jos, Plateau State, he emphasised the need for training and retraining of army personnel in the country.
He said the Nigerian Army would collaborate with the Lagos State government to clear the cantonment rocked by bomb blasts that led to the death of hundreds of people in January, 2002.
Reports have indicated that the bombs exploded because of poor storage.
The army chief stated that the rehabilitation was aimed at ensuring the safety of the cantonment and that the exercise would be concluded between six months and one year.
According to him, the exercise will be "painstaking" as the Nigeria Police, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) medical teams and other relevant establishments will be involved.
Furthermore, he said that residents of the barracks would be evacuated to ensure unimpeded access and adequate renovation.
Rehabilitation of barracks, he said, was an ongoing exercise as many other barracks in the country were being renovated by the Presidential Task Force on Barracks Rehabilitation.
He disclosed that efforts were being made to establish a peacekeeping training centre at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, near Kaduna, to enable the officers face future challenges effectively.
Agwai also said that another training centre was recently established in Kontagora, Niger State, to train officers and soldiers returning from international peacekeeping operations to enable them re-adjust to normal life.
In Jos, he stressed the need to ensure a highly trained army that is capable of instilling fear in its enemy, but admired by its allies and respected by Nigerians.
Agwai, who spoke at the Second Commanding Officers Workshop held at the 3 Armoured Division, said that the vision could only be achieved through a rigorous regime of high standards of professionalism and pursuit of excellence at all times.
"This is the hallmark of military officers that are worth their salt worldwide, which is a challenge to you all. This workshop was deliberately designed as a birthplace or hatchery of concepts and ideas sound enough to equip you to meet the inevitable challenges that the Nigerian Army must contend with on its path to a greater tomorrow," the COAS said.
He told the officers that it was part of their responsibilities to always ensure that their conduct and lifestyles projected the good image of the army.
His words: "As commanding officers, you are a bedrock of discipline due to your closeness to the troops. To command the respect of both superiors and subordinates alike, always ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in all your dealings."
He emphasised the need for continuous training and re-training, which he said would enable the officers to achieve a high and commendable level of professionalism and proficiency in their task.
He noted that the challenges of the ever-changing military environment brought about by Globalisation, though enormous, were not insurmountable.
"To do this, you must be aware of your surroundings and always strive to be informed. Information is knowledge, which you need to seek as knowledge is power," the COAS said.
He alerted the officers of emerging trends in security issues, especially internal security operations, saying that they had become more necessary to combat the ever-increasing, complex security situation in the country.
