The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has emphasized the pivotal role that operational effectiveness and sound administration play in achieving the strategic objectives of the Nigerian Army.
Gen. Lagbaja made the emphasis on Tuesday during an interaction with participants of the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 8/2024 at the College Hall, Abuja.
During the engagement, the COAS charged the participants to strive to always be above board, pointing out that their role as future commanders is crucial to the operational success of the Nigerian Army.
Gen. Lagbaja highlighted the significance of effective and prudent resource management in enhancing operational capabilities and achieving desired outcomes, and stressed the need for the participants to optimize utilization of the limited resources available and to explore innovative solutions to overcome challenges in terms of equipment, logistics as well as command and control.
Sharing insight into his Command Philosophy and NA’s efforts in addressing asymmetric threats in Nigeria, the Army Chief urged the participants to be audacious in their endeavors in tackling contemporary security threats.
He underscored readiness, adaptability, investing in troops’ training as requisites to ultimately promote cost effectiveness in the prosecution of war.
Gen. Lagbaja catalogued what he described as ‘some of the modest achievements of his administration of the NA’ to include provision of Combat enablers to support ongoing operations against terrorism and insurgency, infrastructural development in NA barracks to bring succour to personnel and their families, improvement of troops’ welfare through increase in personnel’s Ration Cash Allowance and support to personnel families through provision of education, skill acquisition and empowerment of soldiers’ children, wards and wives.
Other attainments are medical evacuation of officers and soldiers who sustained injuries for treatment both locally and abroad, sustenance of monthly free flights for troops moving in and out of the North East theatre, clearing of backlog of Group Life Assurance Claims as well as Personal Accident Insurance claims.
In his remarks, the Commandant AWCN, Maj. Gen Ishaya Maina noted that the interactive session was designed to deepen the participants’ understanding on the COAS’ vision and their roles in its actualization.
The Commandant disclosed that the participants are currently in the Inter-Agency Cooperation and Coordination Module, a critical phase that entails active engagement with various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
These modules, according to the Commandant, underline the importance of synergy of efforts across different governmental entities to address complex national security challenges effectively.
