By Victor Akaa.
The Nigerian Army’s 6 Division has just gotten a major boost with the commissioning of a newly built 29 Battalion Officers’ Transit Accommodation at Port Harcourt Barracks on Tuesday.
According to the Division’s Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, the project, which was completed in a record time of 6 months, is a huge testament to the Nigerian Army’s commitment to providing comfortable and conducive living conditions for its personnel.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Major General Emmanuel Eric Emekah, who commissioned the facility, commended the immediate past GOC, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, and the immediate past Commanding Officer (CO), Colonel Ibrahim Aliyu Manga, for their roles in bringing the project to fruition.
Major General Emekah emphasized the importance of value addition in command, urging commanders at all levels to play their role in ensuring the welfare of troops.
He noted that the project complements the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) command philosophy, which places a high premium on troops’ welfare.
According to him, the COAS’s philosophy is centered around the “soldiers first” mantra, which prioritizes the welfare and wellbeing of personnel.
He charged the Commanding Officer 29 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Irinam Joseph Otogo to ensure troops welfare are catered for and urged beneficiaries to out the facility into good use to ensure its longevity.
Earlier, the new CO, 29 Battalion, described the project as a remarkable achievement that realizes the mission statement of the GOC and the COAS command philosophy.
He emphasized that the moral and physical wellbeing of troops is essential to battle readiness, adding that the output of a force is directly proportional to its personnel’s wellbeing.
Enugu Reporters noted that the commissioning of the facility was really great to see, as it shows that the Nigerian Army is committed to taking care of its soldiers.
This is so true, as happy and healthy soldiers are more likely to perform well on the battlefield.
The project is expected to significantly reduce the challenge of accommodation in 29 Battalion, and the CO warned that the unit will not tolerate any act of misuse by the occupants, calling on them to maintain the facility as their personal project.
