Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has assured the Nigerian Army of massive youths mobilisation to fill its quota in the ongoing nationwide Nigerian Army recruitment.
Governor Peter Mbah gave the assurance in Enugu during a sensitisation parley on the ongoing recruitment between the Nigerian Army and traditional rulers, president-generals and youths in communities in Enugu State.
Mbah, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aka Eze Aka, noted that the state government was using all available enlightenment means to ensure that the state fully utilises its quota in the current recruitment.
He said that the government would use traditional means of sensitisation and communication as well as the mass media – newspapers, radio and television – to ensure that youths get information about the ongoing recruitment.
According to him, “we are determined and using all resources available to ensure that every youth in the state especially indigenes of the state get to know about the Nigerian Army recruitment; its requirement and steps.
“We are all out to ensure that the shortfalls on the number of our people being recruited due to few number of applicants in the first place is solved.
“Enugu State must get its quota this time without a single number dropping.
“We will get that through working closely with the traditional rulers, president-generals of communities, youth groups and extensive use of the mass media,” he said.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who lauded the state government for its support to the Nigerian Army, noted that the number of indigenes of the state joining the Nigerian Army had remained “very low.”
Lagbaja, represented by Brig.-Gen. Arnold Okoro, said that the state had continued to have shortfalls in number of youths applying during recruitments.
“The recruitment is part of the national cake, which Enugu State and her indigenes should partake in; a means of employment for our youths and a veritable tool to alleviate poverty in families.
“The youths recruited in the Nigeria Army are well taken care of, free medicals and opportunities to advance their educational pursuit also exist,” he said.
The State Coordinator of Army Recruitment, Mr Chukwudi Amah, called on youths to take advantage of the ongoing recruitment opened on Friday to better their lives and be socio-economically uplifted.
Amah said that youths should drop some unfounded misinformation that “it is only Igbo personnel that are being sent to theatres of conflict for them to die.”
“This is never true. Serving personnel have their turns to the theatre of conflict and at a time, they are redeployed elsewhere.
“I have a direct brother that have served in Sambisia Forest and have been redeployed from there presently,” he said.
He said that further information and requirement on the recruitment would be made public in newspapers, local radio and television stations with native languages.
Responding, the Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Ikechukwu Asadu, appreciated the COAS and the Nigerian Army authorities for considering the state and her youths in the recruitment.
Asadu assured that the traditional rulers would take the message home and propagate it within every village and kindred that make up their communities and address youths about it.
“This is a golden opportunity for us to do the needful and check the marginalisation our people we do cry about in intake into sensitive and public-service oriented organisations such as the Nigerian Army,” he said.
