PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday asked Nigerian military to do more for the nation, stating that the challenges of insecurity being experienced in the country would be “under full control” by the middle of next year.
He spoke at the decoration of 22 of the newly promoted Army Major Generals with their new ranks at the Nigerian Army Headquarters Officers Mess, Asokoro Abuja, saying their decoration and promotion was a product of their competence.
The president is the first Commander-in-Chief to witness the decoration of top officers of the Nigerian Army outside the Presidential Villa Abuja.
He told members of the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council and top officers of the Nigerian military, including the Chief of Defence Staff and the Services Chiefs, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders and other senior officers after the decoration of the 22 Major Generals that “I am just here to observe this unique ceremony. It is a privilege for me to congratulate their wives on attaining the rank of Major General. It is the rank anybody in the Army will want to wear. For you to wear it shows you are very competent officers. And if you didn’t have the competence, you would have been weeded out.”
Jonathan pledged that the federal government would continue to work with the Ministry of Defence and Defence Headquarters in improving the military.
According to the president, “we expect you to do more for us as a nation. Nigerians expect you to give out the best you are known for. Before we get to the middle of next year, most of our security challenges will be under full control.”
The newly decorated Major Generals are two General Officers Commanding (GOCs) – M.D. Abubakar (2 Division) and K.T.J. Minimah (81 Division). Others include the Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, A.B.M. Gana; Commander, Corps of Signals, Obinali Ariahu; Commander, Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, Adamu Buba Marwa; Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Sani Yusuf Audu; Commander, 23 Brigade, Jack Okechukwu Nwaogbo; Deputy Commandant, National Defence College, Oluwafemi Samuel Adeosun; Director, Army Finance and Accounts, AI Muraina and Chairman, Military Pensions Board, Bitrus Kwaji.
Others include Paul John Isang (Director of Standards and Combat Readiness, Army Headquarters); John Kwabe (Director of Veteran Affairs, Defence Headquarters); Oluseun Olayinka Oshinowo (Director of Armed Forces Transformation, DHQ); AK Kwaskebe (Director of Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs), DHQ, Henry Idowu Ayoola and MA Nasamu.
The list of the 22 newly decorated Major Generals also include Ugo Gbuzube (Military Secretary), P.B. Awala (Coordinator, Peace Support Operations, Ministry of Defence); M.B. Ibrahim (Commander, 32 Brigade), Christian Onuorah Ugwu (Directing Staff, NDC); J.O. Ochoga, S.O. Ameh (Commander, Reference Hospital, Kaduna) and Bitrus Kwaji (Chairman, Military Pensions Board).
Midway into the ceremony, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Azubike Ihejirika left the ceremony to receive President Jonathan. This caused disruption in the proceedings as the officer to be decorated who had already presented himself had to go back to his seat. Shortly after, the CDS, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of the Air Staff also joined the Minister.
A few minutes later, President Jonathan arrived inside the Mess Hall in the company of the National Security Adviser (NSA). The event continued after the rendition of the National Anthem by the Army Band.
Ihejirika said the “Nigerian Army is determined to do its utmost best to ensure the realisation of bringing development to Nigeria.”
He noted that the officers decorated “are the very best the Nigerian Army can boast of at this particular time.”
Ihejirika stated that “obviously, not every officer could possibly be promoted. Those promoted are not lacking. It is a pyramid. As you get to the top, it gets narrower.”
Source:www.ngrguardiannews.com
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