N18bn outstanding life assurance of fallen soldiers will soon be paid — COAS

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has said that with the support of the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Army will soon commence payment of the N18 billion outstanding group life assurance through families of soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice and died in line of duty.

General Lagbaja also expressed his determination to build morale across the Nigerian Army to a very high battle-winning level and to sustain it, stressing it as the objective of his welfare policy.

General Lagbaja said this at the closing ceremony of the second bi-annual Regimental Sergeant Major Convention hosted by the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The convention had as its theme: “Leveraging Sound Administration For Highly Motivated Force And Operational Efficiency in the Nigerian Army.”

Gen. Lagbaja said that since he assumed office as COAS,  he has maintained the objective of his welfare policy which is to build morale across the Nigerian Army to a very high battle-winning level and to sustain it.

“To this end, I’ve initiated tangible welfare packages to provide befitting accommodation for our officers, soldiers and their families.”

He said that the Nigerian Army has also commenced sale of forms for affordable house ownership options for all soldiers.

He added that medical services are getting due attention to the troops and their families for them to access top-notch medicare while upscaling educational facilities to bring back glorious days of Nigerian Army schools. 

Stressing the importance of the convention and the crop of participants it was organised for, the COAS said that it gave him no option but to appear in person for the closing ceremony. 

The COAS said that the theme was directly from his command’s philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Army into a well trained, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving constitutional responsibility within a joined environment.

“I’m pleased to note that the Chief of Administration Army and the organisers of the convention deemed it necessary to seize the opportunity it offered to expand on the significant component of my command’s philosophy to our Regimental Sergeant Majors. 

“The RSMs are critical stakeholders in the Nigerian Army’s administrative and command arrangement, and are generally referred to as fathers of our units, not because of age, but knowledge borne out of years of training and experience garnered along the path to their current status

“They are the mouthpieces for the younger ones on both professional, personal and family welfare issues and are expected to be repositories of wisdom and professional knowledge. 

“That is why commanders look up to them for advice on nearly all issues related to soldiers within their units or formations.” 

He noted the decline in the quality of Regimental Sergeant Major that arose at some point in the Nigerian Army and became a cause for concern through the Army headquarters.

 “A generation arose that could not satisfactorily discharge the functions of the RSMs. The impact of the gap in the effectiveness of the generation of RSMs was felt in operations, regimentation and administration. 

“In addressing this trend, the Army headquarters rejigged the RSM convention, patterned and introduced other training reforms into it.

“Furthermore, the Army headquarters embarked on phased renovation of dilapidated accommodation for the Army regimental sergeant majors while these structures befitting their status were spread in formations and units without existing facilities  to accommodate them as a form of motivation. 

“These and other several welfare packages are my focus to keep the morale of our troops high as they discharge their constitutional duties,” he stated.

He charged the RSMs that as they return to their units and formations, they should live up to the rank and status of their appointment by championing discipline and fair dispensation of justice. 

He also enjoined them to ensure appropriate sanctions on misdeeds in line with extant regulations and promote a fair reward system where anyone deserving such based on gallantry, excellence, integrity, hard work, ingenuity and/or other parameters get recognised.

He remarked that they have a major role to play in curbing drug abuse in barracks and devising measures to curb absence without official leave.

He also enjoined them to manage the growing rate of post traumatic stress disorder within the rank and file. 

Lagbaja expressed appreciation to the President Bola Tinubu for continuous support of the Nigerian Army, assuring him of dedication and commitment to its duties and responsibilities.  

Tribune Online learnt that the convention was aimed at enhancing the capacity of RSMs at all levels to adequately perform their roles as the interface between officers and soldiers. 

Saying that the theme of the convention was aptly coined, the Chief of Administration, Major General Jimmy Akpor, said that it was carefully selected to equip regimental sergeant majors with requisite knowledge and position them to perform their roles in line with the key cardinal of the COAS Command’s philosophy.

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