The Edo Government and the Nigerian army on Wednesday called for the adoption of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model logistics support to address the nation’s security challenge.

Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki, said for the nation’s fight against terrorism and other crimes to succeed, all hands must be on deck to support the Nigerian army and related security agencies.

Obaseki, spoke through the State’s Head of Service, Mrs Gladys Idahor, at the opening ceremony of the 20th Combat Service Support Training Week, held at the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, Benin.

He said that government alone could not provide all the logistics needs of the Nigerian Army especially in the face of new security challenges.

“The academia and the organised private sector need to share ideas on ways of meeting the contemporary needs of the Nigerian Army,” he said.

The governor noted that the theme of the training: “Enhancing Combat Service Support capability through Public Private Partnership to meet Nigerian Army’s Contemporary Challenge” was, therefore, apt.

He also commended the Army for its planned medical outreach to people in selected communities in the state.

He said regular training of security officials was important in the face of new threats to national security, adding that Edo’s current status as the most peaceful state in the country, was due in part, to the partnership with the Nigerian Army.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, said tackling contemporary security challenges in the country required a more robust logistics plan.

He noted that to a large extent, logistics determined the capability of any army to perform its duties.

Buratai, who was represented by Maj.-Gen. Ademoh Salihu, explained that it had become expedient to have a more efficient and effective logistics model for the Nigerian Army through public private partnership.

He said the Army’s continued dependence on importation of military hardware has had adverse effects on its operations, especially in the fight against insurgency in the North-East.

He commended the combat service support corps for their relentless service in the fight against insurgency in the country and urged them to leverage on the three-day training programme.

The chief of army staff said the training was an opportunity to fashion out ways to enhance their capacity in the provision of logistics to nip in the bud the security challenges facing the country. (NAN)

– Aug. 28, 2018 @ 18:45 GMT |