Security challenges hamper Army’s involvement in industrialisation, energy, climate change — COAS

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja has stated that Nigerian Army involvement in industrialisation, energy security and climate change has been seriously hampered by the overstretched deployments to combat security challenges across the country since 2003.

General Lagbaja stated this while presenting a paper titled ” Industrialisation, Energy Security and Climate Change: The Role of the Nigerian Army” at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State.

He narrated that the military budgets have always been controversial and contentious in developing countries due to the competing socio-economic demands adding that recently, there have been calls by civil society groups for a reduction in the military budget in favour of socio-economic projects that that will improve the welfare of the country.

The Chief of Army Staff further pointed out that the current security challenges have led to the increasing budgetary allocation to the security and defence sector at the detriment of other socio-economic and infrastructural development.

“Without security, there cannot be development as Robert McNamara put it that security is the development and vice, versa. The constraint in budgetary provision is a massive impediment to industrialisation, energy security and combating climate change”

On legal backing and budgetary allocation, the Chief of Army Staff said since the legal provisions to empower the Nigerian Army in the industrialisation, energy security and combating climate change process in the country are inadequate, there is a need for alteration of Section 217 of the constitution.

He explained that the alteration would provide the backing required for the Nigerian Army to embark on such projects fully adding that the allocation should cater for establishing a military-industrial complex which is necessary for the Armed Forces to be self-sustaining and country industrialisation.

General Lagbaja added that the Nigerian Army as a fighting army would require the recruitment of specialists in varying fields, particularly those competent in operating requisite and profitable industries towards national development.

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