The Nigerian Army has commenced the overhaul of its career building and recruitment procedures to conform to the vision and mission of the present administration for the Armed Forces.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday at the inauguration of the new multimedia conference and other projects executed by the office of the Military Secretary.
He said the overhaul of the service’s procedures for career building and recruitment became necessary following the long years of neglect of core military traditions and customs.
Buratai decried the failure of values in the military, particularly those that were premised on professionalism, regimentation and discipline.
“I remember when we came into the service, we used to see the Military Secretary’s office as a sacred and perfect place where everything comes out pure without blemish.
“Then, postings, promotions and other matters bothering on an officer and soldier’s career building were done almost perfectly.
“Letters and notices coming from that office had no mistakes about names, service numbers and other details.
“But over the years all these values that were known to the military vanished into thin air, almost every notice that came from the same office was followed with corrected versions.
“Today, we are in the process of reviewing all those anomalies so as to return this department of our service to its rightful state,’’ he said.
The Army chief urged the officers and personnel in the office of the Military Secretary to strive toward returning the Army to its glory days of professionalism and discipline.
Buratai said that the office of the military secretary under the present dispensation must strive for perfection.
He assured all personnel and officers of his administration’s commitment to entrenching discipline by first of all providing the enabling environment for them to be professional in their conduct.
Buratai inspected the new strong room at the directorate and other structures newly constructed at the complex before inaugurating the soldiers’ residential accommodation at the Yar’adua Barracks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Army chief accompanied senior officers also inspected ongoing projects at Army formations and barracks in Asokoro.