By Idris Ibrahim
As part of his continuous efforts to portray the Nigerian Army in a positive light and winning the hearts and minds of Nigerians, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has on Friday the 11th of January, 2019 commissioned four Solar Powered water projects in different settlements in Aboh Mbaise, – Obetitu Autonomous Community in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State.
The commissioning was done by the General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Abubakar Sadiq Maikobi who represented the COAS.
Major General Maikobi accompanied by Chief of Accounts and Budget Nigerian Army, Major General UC Ogulanna used the opportunity to pay a courtesy call to the paramount ruler of Obetitu Autonomous Community where he extended the regards and greetings of the COAS to the leaders, elders and entire good people of the community.
The traditional rulers, clerics, youths and women leaders of the benefiting communities as well as elders of the neighbouring localities were euphoric, – glaringly happy and surged forward to receive and ushered in the representative of the COAS to formally commission the projects.
Recall that Civil-Military Relations projects such as these are in line with the COAS vision for the Nigerian Army. Consequently, as a deliberate policy, the intervention projects are evenly distributed across the six geo political zones of Nigeria.
According to the Chief of Civil-Military Affairs Major General US Mohammed – “Over 95% of the COAS’ Special Intervention Projects have been successfully executed and commissioned across the six geo political zones of the country. They include renovation and construction of primary schools, primary health care centres, medical facilities, donation of farming implements and water projects such as the one just commissioned”.
In his remarks at the occasion, the COAS thanked the President, Commander in Chief Muhammadu Buhari for providing the resources to the Nigerian Army to carry out its constitutional roles.
According to him -“I want to believe that these water projects will serve the needs of this communities and their environs. I wish to also appeal to us to see the projects as symbol of unity. Let these projects serve as symbol of peace, unity, tolerance and love to this communities and the state at large”. “I, therefore, wish to thank the Commander in Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the resources, the Honourable Minister for Defence and Chief of Defence Staff for their support”.
Commander 34 Brigade Owerri, Director Civil Military Affairs from Army Headquarters, Commander Military Intelligence Brigade, Acting Commander 82 Division Provost Group and Commanding Officer 342 Artillery Regiment were among the dignitaries that graced the occasion.
