Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, says welfare of serving and retired personnel remains priority of the Nigerian military.
Lagbaja said this on Tuesday in Enugu while declaring open the “Town Hall Meeting on Review of Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (Reviewed 2017)” with serving and retired officers as well as soldiers, naval ratings and airmen.
The GOC noted that every human relationship is governed by terms and conditions, adding that the military also have its own terms and conditions of service which is subject to periodical review every five years.
“We need to review the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service 2017 at this auspicious time to reflect the realities and peculiarities of this time.
“This will definite enhance the welfare of officers, soldiers, ratings and airmen in the Nigerian military and encourage them to put in their best.
“It will also improve the welfare of retired military personnel as well,” he said.
Lagbaja charged serving and retired military personnel attending the town hall meeting to be “open and have a resourceful interaction” meant to register their opinions on the review for it to be far reaching and robust in nature.
“We have no doubt that your openness and resourcefulness as it concern age of service and other germane issues in the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service 2017 will make much impact in this review.
“I thank the Chief of Army Staff and the Defense Headquarters for giving the Division the opportunity to host this town hall meeting,” he added.
Speaking, Maj.-Gen. G. K. Nwosu, Team Leader Defense Headquarter Committee on the Review for South-East and South-South, said that the review would be done in the general and best interest of the Nigerian military.
Nwosu explained that the review takes upon to two years to aggregate views and submissions of those involved, adding that the committee had earlier got views and submissions of various military units and formations before the town hall meeting.
He said: “This is an opportunity opened to both serving and retired military personnel to speak and make their input in the review.
“As the Christians have their guide book – the Holy Bible; the Moslems have their guide book – the Holy Quran; so also the military has its Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) as it guide”.
The town hall meeting has officers, soldiers, naval ratings and airmen from all military units and formations within the South-East and retired military personnel residing within the South-East in attendance
