Obasanjo Challenges Army Engineers On Food Production

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday challenged the Nigerian Army Engineers, popularly known as SAPPERS, to refocus attention from their conventional duties to food production.

Obasanjo gave the charge during the SAPPERS’ Reunion and Rowing Out Parade at the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineers (NASME) in Makurdi.

The retired army general urged the army to venture into mechanised agriculture to contribute to food production to meet the food insecurity challenge in the world.

He said that peace keeping was beyond warfare and reiterated that food safety was the most reliable way of maintaining peace in a nation.

Also speaking at the occasion, President Goodluck Jonathan commended the SAPPERS for their contributions to infrastructural development of Nigeria.

Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Haliru Mohammed, also commended them for their display of professional excellence within and outside the country.

He added that the army’s numerous contributions to peace keeping in the world had made the Federal Government proud.

The president, however, challenged them to be more innovative by intensifying their efforts in the area of research for the transformation and development of the country.

In his speech, Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue acknowledged that SAPPERS had been a source of multiple blessings to the state, especially in the construction of Ijatoaka Bridge in 2005 which linked Benue and Taraba States.

Suswam, who was also represented by his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, said that the presence of the military corps in the state had contributed to peaceful co-existence of the people in the state.

The governor promised to work in partnership with SAPPERS to meet the contemporary challenges facing them.

He noted that their commitment to professionalism had given a boost to the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Earlier in an address of welcome, the Corps Commander, Maj.-Gen. Adebayo Olaniyi, had enumerated the contributions of SAPPERS to the physical development of the country and decried the lack of adequate equipment for the enormous tasks ahead.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, in an address, also said that SAPPERS was faced with enormous challenges, including terrorism.

He solicited the support of stakeholders to help address the situation so as to regain the confidence of the people.

Ihejirika commended SAPPERS, particularly the bomb disposal units, for living up to expectation, especially in the area of bomb disposal in the country.