Military Seeks Integration With Civil Society

The Nigerian military authorities declared on Thursday that the armed forces were striving toward total integration with the civil society.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) I Division, Maj.-Gen. Kamourdeen Role, said this while declaring open the Second Quarter 2010 Study Period at the headquarters of the division in Kaduna.

“We so much desire an excellent relationship with the civil society. It is my belief that so far, we are making steady progress.

“Winning the hearts and minds of the majority of the Nigerian citizens for an excellent relationship with the military is not to be over assumed.

“It is a venture that requires hard work, honesty and resilience to build.

The attitude of officers and soldiers while carrying out the Nigerian Army’s constitutionl roles go a long way in shaping the overall corporate image of the Army.

 “In the same vein, our ability to be professionally and socially responsible in carrying out our duties to the nation in line with the corporate responsibility principle will often determine our reputation locally and internationally,’’ he said.

He solicited for understanding, support and cooperation from other stakeholders.

The GOC described the Army’s effort in establishing a School for Public Relations and Information Management as a demonstration of its seriousness towards a mutually beneficial civil-military relationship.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, explained that the course was designed to improve on the resolve of the Army to maintain a cordial relationship with the civil society.

Olukolade said that the Army’s Management School was established last year at Bonny Camp, Lagos, to train military personnel, media practitioners and other stakeholders to achieve the set goal.

According to him, the Army has resolved to ensure a sustained “excellent civil-military relations’’ and pledged the authority’s readiness to continue to implement ideas generated from similar interactions constitutionally.

The Tide On Sunday source reports that 250 participants drawn from the military and civil society are attending the three-day conference.