The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, on Tuesday inaugurated a befitting official accommodation for the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of Army Headquarters Garrison at Mogadishu cantonment in Abuja.
Yahaya said construction of the new edifice was in fulfillment of his resolve to reinforce fragmentation in the Nigerian Army and enhance the welfare of soldiers.
He said the official quarters had been built across 18 commands, divisions, units and formations nationwide in addition to official vehicles that had been given to the RSMs.
The COAS said that RSMs occupied a unique place in the hierarchy and scheme of affairs of the Nigerian army, saying that they were the custodians of the customs and tradition of the army and its units.
According to him, every RSM is the father of his unit because he is the custodian of regimentation, ethics, customs, traditions and history of the army.
“He usually has his own office co-located with the commanding officer because issues concerning soldiers’ administration, particularly their welfare and well-being are channeled through the RSM.
“He, together with the retinue of other soldiers, particularly senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and others in that line, maintain also a hierarchy and a chain of command that help them facilitate command and regimentation of the unit and formations.
“And as you know, the senior NCOs are very important elements that act as a bridge between officers and soldiers and the RSM is the head of that bridge.
“This important office of the RSM also has its own unique privileges and that is what I aim to reestablish building from the work by my predecessors,” he said.
Yahaya said he desired that an RSM should also have a befitting accommodation and a vehicle to be able to move around his unit.
He said the gesture was aimed at establishing the pride of place for RSMs as well as improve regimentation through command and control, as well as discipline within the service.
Also speaking, the Commander, AHQ Garrison, Maj.-Gen. Kabiru Garba, said the sustenance of troops’ welfare in peace and war time was vital for a thorough execution of their assigned tasks.
Garba said that the primary motivators like timely payment of salaries, knitting, training and provision of decent accommodation were essential for enhancing the quality of lives of troops.
He said the COAS had since assumption of office taken deliberate and determined steps toward boosting troops’ morale, enhance their operational effectiveness and improve professionalism in the Nigerian army.
According to him, this is all aimed at realising the COAS’ vision, which is to have a professional Nigerian army ready to accomplish assigned mission within a joint environment in the defence of Nigeria.
He expressed appreciation to the COAS for the initiative to develop and enhance the function of RSMs in the Nigerian army.
Responding, the Garrison RSM, AWO Garba Sani, thanked the COAS for repositioning the fragmentation in the Nigerian army for greater efficiency and professionalism.
Sani also thanked the COAS for providing him and fellow RSMs with befitting accommodations and official vehicles to enhance their functions.
He pledged to continue to give his best in ensuring discipline and professionalism among soldiers under his command in the discharge of those duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the official residence of the Garrison RSM is a fully furnished three bedroom bungalow with a standby power generating set, security house and an orderly room. (NAN)
