The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, says he will enhance the motivation of troops to improve their effectiveness and efficiency during operations.

Lagbaja pledged while declaring open the Second Regimental Sergeant Majors (RSMs) 2023 Convention on Monday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme is “Leveraging Sound Administration for Highly Motivated Force and Operational Efficiency in the Nigerian Army”.

Lagbaja was represented by the Commander, Infantry Corps, Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede.

He said one of his priorities was to improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of the Nigerian Army personnel through effective motivation.

The COAS said that human resources are essential to the success of any organisations and this is why sound administration was made a critical component of his command philosophy.

“The Nigerian Army has undergone a series of transformational strides in recent years, and this has led to a great expansion in almost all spheres of the Nigerian Army, ranging from welfare schemes, training, courses, increased manpower, and infrastructural development.

“It is my drive to leverage sound administration to harness resources and opportunities within the Nigerian Army environment to motivate troops and improve operational efficiency in the NA,” he added.

The COAS said that sound administration would raise the morale of troops in the field and serve as a link between officers and soldiers.

He called on the participants to support his vision by maintaining discipline and ensuring that the cherished traditions, customs, and ethics of the Nigerian Army are continuously upheld.

Lagbaja called on the RSMs to sustain their role in discipline and regimentation in all the Nigerian Army units, formations, and establishments.

He also urged them to leverage the Army’s administrative policy instruments to further improve unit administration in their respective domains.

“RSMs, as the embodiment of discipline and regimentation in the NA, have a key role to play in upholding the professional status of the NA in the face of the pervasive effects of social media engagements by soldiers.

“It, therefore, requires that you all be up to date concerning these responsibilities to cultivate, grow, and nurture professional and appropriate behaviours amongst personnel, thereby contributing to the overall efficiency of the Nigerian Army,” he said.

Lagbaja expressed optimism that the convention would keep the participants abreast of the latest administrative innovations of the Nigerian Army designed to improve troops’ morale and defeat malfeasance among personnel.

In his remarks, Chief of Administration (Army), Maj.-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, said it was important for the RSMs to be constantly trained and sensitised on new policies and plans of the Nigerian Army.

Akpor said that the Nigerian Army depends on them to maintain a higher standard of regimentation for all personnel.

He charged the RSMs to utilise what they learned during the convention to improve the conduct of soldiers in their various formations and units. (NAN)