Rivers State has lowest number of Military officers in Nigeria – NDA

Lorine Emenike

The Rivers State Government in partnership with the Nigerian Defence Academy has embarked on a sensitization campaign to encourage Rivers youths in the universities and secondary schools to choose career paths in the Nigerian armed forces.

The State Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Adonye Dagogo Hart, said the sensitization is in line with the directive of governor Nyesom Wike, to take military men from the Defense Head Quarters Abuja to various public schools for sensitization on career prospect in the armed forces.

The sensitization campaign which commenced on 1st of November held at the Rivers State University, Federal Government College Port Harcourt, Birabi Memorial Grammar School and Government Secondary School, Eneka.

“Before now, a large number of the people of Rivers State do not know the benefits of joining the armed forces, but from what we did yesterday and today, it is very benefiting to know that when the students graduate either from the university or secondary schools, they can make a career in the military” Mr Hart said.

“And that is why the governor directed that representatives of the arm forces should be taken around the schools for the sensitization campaign.

“We believe that after this sensitization, a good number of Rivers sons and daughters will oblige to choose a career path in the armed forces as we gathered that Rivers State has the lowest number of officers in the Nigeria arm force”

Commodore Pinder, the director of Psychological Operations of the Nigerian Navy who is in charge of South-South sensitization campaign said the sensitization campaign is geared towards enlightening and encouraging young ones from South-South to join the Nigeria Armed Forces by enrolling into the Nigeria Defence Academy.

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“We discovered that there is a lot of misinformation as well as ignorance about the armed forces, especially to the young ones”

Commodore Pindar said the Nigeria Armed Forces holds good career paths, noting that one of the objectives of the sensitization exercise is to encourage young ones especially those in JSS3, and those that had finished the Senior Secondary Examination that has interests to join the Nigeria Armed forces to pursue their dreams of joining the Arme Forces.

“The career prospect the Nigeria Armed forces holds is enormous. As soon as you enrol into the Nigeria Defense Academy, the Armed forces sponsor you to any level of educational qualification you desire.

“The Nigeria Armed forces don’t only take care of your tuition fees, they also feed you and pay you as well at the end of every month.

“The objective of this exercise is to encourage and engage young ones in meaningful career especially those of them that have the dream to serve their fathers land.

“Enrolling into the Nigeria Defense Academy will inhibit their chances of becoming miscreants and problems to society. It will inhibit them from Kidnapping, joining cult groups and stop them from perpetrating crime in the society.

“This sensitization campaign holds in all of the 36 States of the federation as well as the FCT.

“I am in charge of Cross Rivers State, Akwa Ibom, Rivers State, Bayelsa State, Delta and Edo State.

“Unfortunately Rivers State has the lowest number of officers in the three Arm Forces (Military, Navy and Air Force).

“This is the second edition of this sensitization campaign, the first one was done in the year 2016. And this year’s theme is ” Exercise Bring In Too.

“The Arm Forces is an organization that welcomes brilliant ones, most of them that are medically fit,” the Navy general said.

The Rivers State Chairman Secondary Schools Board, Mrs Grace Akpogumum commended the sensitization exercise.

She also called on the good people of Rivers State to seize the opportunity and enrol into the Nigeria Defense Academy.

“Let’s say in the next four to five or ten years from today, Rivers State will not be ranking as the state with the lowest number of officers either in the Army, Navy or Air force,” She said.