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Army Chief tasks officers to put on thinking caps
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Tukur Buratai has expressed concern over gaps at the level of creativity among commanders in tackling security challenges in the country.
General Buratai made the remarks while declaring open a two-day workshop for General Officers’ Commanding (GOC), Corps Commanders, and Commandant of Nigerian Army Schools at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, (NARC) Abuja.
Represented by the Commandant of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Major General Rasheed Yusuf, the Army Chief said: “Despite the success we have recorded, I have observed that there is a gap in the level of creativity, innovation and resourcefulness amongst commanders.
The theme of the workshop: “Leadership and Resource Management in the Nigerian Army” noted that it became very imperative to fine turn the skills and knowledge of the officers at strategic military positions.
Emphasising that the army was faced with multifarious security challenges amidst dwindling resources, reiterated that there is the urgent need for proactive measures to address the gap.
“Against this backdrop, we have no option than to get thinking as to how we can achieve our goals despite the national economic recession we are experiencing.
He explained that though the Boko Haram insurgents have been degraded and peace restored into parts of the troubled areas, “we must not rest but continue to strategize on how to completely clear the remnants.
“More so, we are operating in a time of national economic recession whereby there is paucity of fund due to dwindling budgetary allocation.
“Conversely, the nation’s security challenges are increasing by the day thereby widening our operational engagements across the country.
“Thus the imperative of reorienting and sensitizing commanders and leaders on the need to be creative, innovative and resourceful in the discharge of their command responsibilities.
In his remarks, the Director General of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre,(NARC) Major General John Hamakin commended the COAS for approving the workshop in line with the vision of the present leadership of the army to build a truly professional force capable of responding to the security issues effectively and efficiently.
Major General Hamakin pointed out: “It is pertinent to state that this workshop was conceptualized in line with COAS directive, which was borne out of the fact that despite the successes we have recorded in our various operational engagements particularly in the Northeast.
“This concern became more pertinent given the realities of the economic down-turn we are facing with the attendant implication on shrinking of resources being allocated to the military and other key stakeholders in the security architecture,” General Hamakin asserted.