Army Will Sustain Partnership To Enhance Operational Effectiveness – Lagbaja

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, says the Nigerian Army will partner reputable stakeholders in the defence and security sector for the procurement of requisite equipment and platforms.

This he said, was necessary to enhance the operational effectiveness of troops.

Lagbaja spoke during the Army Headquarters Fourth Quarter 2023 Procurement Seminar, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The seminar has the theme; “Implications of the New Central Bank of Nigeria Foreign Exchange Policy on International Trade: Challenges for the Nigerian Army”.

The COAS said that all government policies, including the recent CBN foreign exchange policy, were critical to the successful attainment of the army’s constitutional mandate.

He added that the forex policy had continued to have significant implications for Nigerian army’s contracts,  resulting to requests for payment variations which were unfavourable to the army.

The COAS said it was expedient to promote mutual understanding amongst stakeholders to help the army aggregate value for government allocations, and enable it manage contemporary security space.

Lagbaja said the primary objective of establishing the procurement directorate was to enable the army to obtain the best value for funds released to it for various contracts and projects.

According to him, the army under his watch will not allow the shortchanging of the system in any way by contractors.

The COAS appreciated President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Defence, National Security Adviser, CBN, Bureau of Public Procurement and other stakeholders for their support to the army.

He expressed optimism that the seminar would facilitate renewed commitment to building and sustaining an efficient procurement system that meets international best practices.

In his remarks, the Director of Procurement (Army), Maj.-Gen. Adeyinka Adereti, said the seminar was organised with the objective of enhancing understanding of the rudiments of operational contract support in an ever-changing global context.

Adereti said that public procurement and foreign exchange policies and regulations had continued to be the guiding compass for the award of contracts and procurement of platforms.

According to him, global procurement processes have taken a new turn due to changes in the international system and the prevailing security climate, hence the need to organise the procurement seminar.(NAN) (www.nannews.Ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed