On Friday 4th November 2022, the Director Manpower Planning from the Army Headquarters (AHQ), Major General IM Jallo led a team from the AHQ to Asaba on a sensitization visit for recruitment into the Nigerian Army.
The team was received on arrival in Asaba by the Commander 63 Brigade, Brigadier General MLD Saraso at the Headquarters 63 Brigade at about 1.30 pm. Thereafter, the Team was led by the Commander 63 Brigade to the Office of the Delta State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Patrick Ukah who received them on behalf of the Executive Governor of Delta State, His Excellency Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa. Present at the meeting in the SSG’s Conference Room were Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and some Directors from the Delta State Government.
The AHQ Team leader disclosed to the audience that the purpose of their visit to Delta State was to confer and interact with the political leadership and various stakeholders in the State to fashion out workable ways to encourage more youths to enlist in the Nigerian Army. He said his remarks were sequel to an observation by AHQ of apathy by young men and women from Delta State towards getting recruited into the NA. He added that the visit was also to forge better ways to educate and enlighten the teeming youths in the State on the prospects available in serving the Nation through the NA. The high point of the visit to the SSG’s Office was the handing over of some packages of flyers and other sensitization materials to the SSG for onward distribution to all the 25 LGAs in Delta State.
Later on the same day, at about 5 pm, Major General Jallo and his team arrived 63 Brigade Exercise STILL WATER Camp along Anwai – Ugbolu Road. His visit to the Exercise Camp also coincided with that of the State Director of Security, Mr Ademola Caleb Adebiyi who was scheduled to visit the Camp as part of VIPs to interact with the participants during the 3 months long training exercise.
Highlights of the visit to the camp include; the inspection of the Quarter Guard by the VIPs, an information brief at the Camp Information Centre and the Intelligence Brief in the Operations Room. The General as well as the Director of State Services were later taken on a guided tour of the Camp before retiring to a dinner organized with participating troops and personnel of other paramilitary agencies in the camp.
Major General Jallo while addressing the troops after the dinner, reiterated the purpose of his team’s visit to Delta State and enjoined the troops to maintain high standards in their professional and personal conduct. He thereafter donated a cow to the troops on Exercise STILL WATER before departing from the Camp.
Similarly, at about 8 pm on Saturday 5th November 2022, Major General IM Jallo was also hosted to a dinner in his honour by the SSG Delta State. In attendance at the dinner were the SSG, Commander 63 Brigade, State Director of Security and other Delta State Government’s Senior Officials. The SSG during the dinner thanked the AHQ Team leader and reassured him that they would take the sensitization effort to all parts of Delta State and ensure better participation in all future recruitment exercises.
On the whole, the visit to Delta State by the AHQ Sensitization Team was adjudged successful given the enthusiasm exhibited by the Delta State Government officials. It is hoped that the lack of interest by indigenes of Delta State towards getting recruited into the NA would soon be reversed and a better turnout to fill the State’s quota would be recorded in the upcoming recruitment exercise.
