The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has presented pickup trucks to 16 Army Warrant Officers (AWOs) promoted in 2019. Among them is the first female AWO in the Nigerian Army, Grace Pethon.
He said the presentation of the Innoson Vehicle pickup (IVM Carrier), was in fulfilment of the provision in the harmonised terms of service for the Armed Forces of Nigeria since 2017, which has not been implemented.
Represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP), Army, Lt-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, he said: “These vehivles are given to you to enhance your official duties.
“One of the demonstrations of the COAS commitment to troops’ welfare is the presentation of these vehicles. We know it is a provision in the harmonised terms of service for the Armed Forces of Nigeria but it was only on paper.
“There are many reasons for the COAS not to provide these vehicles because we are in war but he decided because you are the power of the army.
“You must take good care of the vehicle so that it will serve you. Don’t sell these vehicles. This is your pride. You are qualified for it. Use the vehicle for the progress of the service and your family. You have done so well for the Army, family and humanity.”
Chief of Administration, Major-General Mohammed, urged the beneficiaries to imbibe good maintenance culture and motivate their subordinates to work harder: “Be careful how you drive the vehicles, use them for official and family purposes.”
Army Headquarters RSM, AWO Ibrahim Zakariah, thanked the COAS for finding them worthy and pledged to use the vehicles for the purpose they were meant.
Army finance officers charged to be prudent, professional
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has called on officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps to be prudent in the management of army finances, in line with extant provisions of financial administration in the public service.
He also charged finance personnel on the need to advise their commanders on prudent use of scarce resources and stick to all the finance and accountability standards spelt out in relevant financial guidelines for the Nigerian Army.
Buratai gave the charge at the opening of a two-day Army Headquarters Training on Auditing and Accounts Rendition for Nigerian Army Finance Corps personnel, in Abuja.
He said the security challenges confronting the country have impacted on lean national resources: “It has become imperative to emplace prudent utilisation mechanisms for allocated funds through effective auditing and accounting tools.”
He said the training was organised to broaden the knowledge of finance officers and clerks on some salient administrative skills required for prudent management of scarce resources and rendition of accounts, just as he noted that the training would also create awareness about extant provisions on the administration of finance in the public sector: “It is also in view of the anti-corruption drive of the Federal Government as well as dwindling national revenue among competing demands on lean resources.
“For army personnel in various theatres of operations, it is incumbent on you to continue to evolve robust and cost-effective strategies to defeat the remnants of terrorists as well as other criminals across the country. Let me remind all participants to always be guided by my strategic goal for Year 2020, which is to sustain professionalism of the Nigerian Army and responsiveness in discharge of our constitutional responsibilities. This training, among several other efforts, is one of the ways of achieving the goal.
“Let me emphasise that all Nigerian Army personnel must deliver on every task and mandate, irrespective of their deployments.
“Drawing from some of the lessons of the various audit exercises, it has become imperative to enhance the knowledge of commanders at all levels and their finance officers on the requirements for standard record keeping, extant laws on public funds administration and generally accepted accounting principles among others.
“This is with a view to minimising or possibly eliminating errors that normally lead to audit queries, which sometimes end up at Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.”
Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj-Gen. Ayuba Hamman, said the training would improve the capacity and productivity of the personnel of the finance corps: “It will also enhance their professionalism and equip them to contribute their quota to the Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.”
Acting Director, Nigerian Army Directorate of Audit and Financial Management, Brig-Gen. Monday Ihanuwaze, said the training was organised to enhance compliance with extant provisions on administration of funds in Nigerian Army: “The training is also designed to broaden the intellectual capacity of commanders and finance officers on financial management.”
He expressed the hope that participants would be better equipped to handle their units’ finances professionally at the end of the training.
Banditry: Nasarawa, Kogi lauded for opening up Uttu forest
The Nigerian Army has commended the Nasarawa State government for constructing access road through the Kenyehu Uttu Forest and contiguous hills in Toto Local Government Area.
The construction followed an appeal by the Commander, 4 Special Forces Command, Doma, to enable his team effectively combat terrorists, bandits and other criminals in the state.
The army said the road would open up access into remote and isolated villages that the criminals have turned to their strongholds and further improve general security in the area.
The army also said the road would improve the infrastructural development, governance and prosperity in such hitherto ungoverned spaces.
The command had in September conducted clearance operations in the forest and destroyed identified terrorists’ hideouts.
The commander at the time drew the attention of both the Nasarawa and Kogi state governments to the need to open up Umashan-Adaosun/Sardauna-Uttu and Uguma-Kpokpobili-Uttu-Igwapati-Uttu roads in Nasarawa and Kogi states, respectively.
During the operation, no fewer than 778 family members of suspected terrorists and bandits, consisting mostly women and children, were rescued by troops.
Some suspected terrorists were neutralised and large caches of firearms and ammunition were recovered from them.
The Nigerian Army also commended the Kogi State government for constructing an access road from Kpokpolobi to Uttu Forest in Nassarawa State.
With the opening up of the road, the army said it remained more resolute and focused in its fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and criminality.
The army also said the opening of the road would drastically reduce, if not eradicate the incessant cases of banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery by fleeing terrorists in the area.