The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has pledged his commitment to the capacity development of army officers, to enable them confront the myriad of security challenges confronting the nation.
Yahaya gave the assurance at the graduation of the participants of Strategic Management and Policy Studies Course 4/2022 of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) on Friday in Abuja.
He said the Nigerian army had over the years focused on manpower development of both senior and junior military officers, but added that the focus on senior officers was in tandem with global best practices.
Yahaya said that the course was conceptualised and sustained by the leadership of the Nigerian army to further develop the capacity of very senior officers.
The COAS said the main was to enhance their knowledge, skills and competencies in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policies, as well as management of human and material resources.
According to him, the drive is consistent with those of credible organisations, including intelligence and security agencies globally.
“It is therefore the pattern and highlight that constant capacity development at all level remains crucial to attaining the vision of all organisations, including Nigerian army, and indeed the armed forces.
“This is also necessary to enable the organisation function effectively in the evolving and dynamic contemporary environment.
“Indeed, the concept of strategic leadership management, as well as policy formulation has become recurring indices and their routine activities of all organisations and the armed forces is no exception,” he said.
Yahaya urged the participants to continuously deploy the knowledge acquired to achieve success in their future assignments.
According to him, the curriculum for the programme has been designed to relate theoretical concepts with field experience.
“It is my sincere hope that this programme has stimulated your overall intuition to reason and function in line with current national and our political realities,” he added.
Earlier, Director-General, NARC, retired Maj.-Gen. Garba Wahab, said the course was a home grown initiative that had attracted patronage from all security and intelligence agencies.
Wahab said the course had helped to foster stronger relationship between the armed forces and other security agencies by knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each other.
According to him, expectations are high on the participants based on what have been impacted on them and their ability to analyse and look at issues critically.
He said the course had 43 senior officers drawn from the military, police, Department of States Service, Customs and Federal Road Safety Corps among others. (NAN)
