In its efforts to support the government at all levels in fighting against the spread of coronavirus disease, the Nigerian Army has set up an isolation centre at 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, in Ondo State.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, while commissioning some projects at the command on Thursday, said the facility would help quickly put an end to the pandemic ravaging the country.
According to him, the renovation of staff quarters, guard quarters and renovation of Medical Centre was to encourage the personnel and to uplift the standard of living of all Nigerian Army.
Buratai said, “I wish to put it on record today that every barracks in Nigeria today is being impacted to uplift standard and improve infrastructure.”
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Recall that two months ago, an army officer who recently returned from India to Ondo state tested positive for COVID-19.
Buratai, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Ibadan, Major-Gen. Anthony Omozoje, said Nigerian Army remains committed to containing the spread of the virus.
The Chief of Army Staff, while pledging that Nigerian Army would remain professional, apolitical and focus on their constitution mandate for better service delivery, said soldiers would not deviate from their core mandate lay down by the constitution.
Buratai said that the Nigerian Army had reiterated it’s commitment to ensure that the country were free from any form of terrorist.
“We have vow to put more effort to curtail any form of terrorist in the country by remained professional, apolitical and focus on our constitutional mandate, “he said.
He therefore appreciated the Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his counterpart in Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi for their support to the Nigerian Army and 32 Artillery Brigade.
Brig. Gen. Zakari Abubakar, the Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade said that COAS approved the sum of N61,219,000million to purchase the state of the art equipment for the medical centre.
He said, “I appreciate your benevolent support to the welfare of the troops and remain indebted to your course. This singular act has saved the brigade from avoidable deaths and hardship.”
Abubakar said that the command were set to empower 100 widows of victims of NorthEast which would be trained by small and medium enterprise development agency (SMEDAN) to serve as a palliative to the widows and their immediate families.
“To this end, a philanthropist, a friend of the barracks, Chief Bibopiri Ajube has promised to finance first phase.
“As a take-off, 100 widows will be drawn from 32 Artillery Brigade, 60 from Owena cantonment, 30 for Naquora barracks and 10 for 322 Artillery brigade, Benin.
“The philanthropist, has approved the sum of N10million for the take off of the project. Today, each of the widow will be given N50,000 and N5million will be used to commence the infrastructural development of poultry farm in the three barracks simultaneously,” he said.
