Pulse.ng : 8th Division engages Officers on operational efficiency training

By Abbas Bamalli

The 8th Division of the Nigeria Army (NA), Sokoto, has organised a two-day training workshop for its key staff officers within the division’s area of responsibility.

The training, with the theme: ‘Enhancing Staff Officers’ Capabilities for Operational Efficiency’, was declared open by Maj,-Gen Ibikunle Ajose, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8th Division at the 17 Brigade, Katsina on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Ajose is also the Commander of ‘Sector 2 of Joint Task Force NorthWest, Operation FANSAN YAMMA’.

Ajose in his remarks, explained that the aim of the two-day training was to improve the combat effectiveness and efficiency of the division.

According to him, “The complexities of today’s army, with its sophisticated equipment and scientific innovations, have placed the details of command functions far beyond one person’s capabilities.

“Even the lowest levels of command now require experts to assist the commander and to advise him on the capabilities and limitations of the advanced gadgetry available to him.

“At the higher levels of responsibility, the commander must surround himself with scientific, professional and technical experts to assist him in understanding the manifest of the mission.

“The multiple approaches available to accomplish it, and the most effective and economical application of the resources available,” he said.

He pointed out that the use of assistance and advisors in no way dilutes the commander’s authority or decreases its personal responsibility.

“It is in this regard that the division headquarters decided to organise this seminar to sharpen their skills and revise them on aspects of staff work that they are to carry out without an efficient assistant.

These assistants include the Chief of Staff, Operations Officer, Adjutant, Administration Officer and other staff officers. The headquarters, the battalion headquarters may likely underperform.

“In recent times, I’ve personally observed that when directives are passed down from superior headquarters and from commanders.

“Once these directives leave the headquarters, most staff teams don’t have any monitoring mechanism in place to ensure that those directives have been implemented.

“It is not the role of the commander to monitor or to implement as the case may be, rather, it is the role of the most senior staff officer and his team,” according to Ajose.

He cited an example of a directive passed by headquarters 8-Division to ensure proper management and quality of troop’s welfare is improved upon.

“In spite of numerous reminders, I observed that some locations did not only provide poor quality meals for troops, but were not aware of the directives passed by the division’s headquarters,” he said.

According to the GOC, it is worrisome to know that administrative movements and patrol are still carried out within the division without adherence to the division’s checklist.

He stated that, “It might interest you to note that some of the officers that came from Sokoto did not sign for their personal weapons when it was clearly stated in the checklist.

“Hence, it’s for reasons like this that this seminar is not only timely, but is essential so that we can come together to collectively improve the combat effectiveness and efficiency of the division.”

Earlier, the Commandant of the 17 Brigade Katsina, Brig,-Gen Babatunde Omopariola commended the training which he said was designed to equip the participants with requisite knowledge to promote professionalism.

According to him, the training will also ensure seamless synchronisation of the division’s staff, their operational activities, and promote critical ability in addressing complex operational challenges

He therefore, urged the participants to take the lectures seriously and also make meaningful contributions based on experiences and observations garnered in different appointments and operations.

NAN