- Says merging them will be counterproductive
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Borno State Concerned Citizens has kicked against the merging of the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) with the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as recommended by the Oronsaye Report, saying merging the two institutions will be counterproductive.
In a letter dated March 25, 2024, to the Chairman, Implementation Committee on Oronsaye Report, the leader of Borno State Concerned Citizens, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim (Dan Masanin Biu), said the people are worried that, “the merging of these two distinct Institutions will not augur well for the sacred nature of our military training and defence system. The Nigerian Defence Academy is a specialised Institution, strategically positioned to train officers for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force.”
On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Committee on the implementation of the recommendations of the Oronsaye Report and White Papers on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on behalf of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Terms of Reference of the Implementation Committee is to carry out extensive merger, relocation, subsuming and or scrapping of some parastatals, agencies and commissions, with a view to reducing the cost of governance and engendering efficiency in the system.
However, while commending the Federal Government for the bold step and initiative, Borno citizens warned that the proposed mergers may jeopardise the statutory mandates of some specialised institutions, especially the Nigerian Defence Academy.
“Therefore, mixing them up with civilians from the Nigerian Army University Biu will be counterproductive.
“We are also worried that the merger of these two Institutions was not part of the initial Oronsaye Report of 2012 as well as the reviewed one. Therefore, it will be out of place to include them in the lists of institutions to be streamlined or
merged as proposed.
“We observed that many bills for the establishment of Universities and Institutions of higher learning were passed by the National Assembly and signed into law after the establishment of NAUB.
“We also observed that the National Assembly has passed and will continue to pass bills for the establishment of tertiary institutions in the country as it becomes necessary. That more licenses for the establishment of private universities have also been granted by NUC because of the inadequate number of tertiary institutions in the country.
“We humbly appeal to the Committee on the implementation of the Oronsaye Report and White Papers on Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commission to reconsider the proposed merger of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Army University, Biu and allow each to play its distinctive role in the overall interest of the nation”.
The letter by Borno Citizens which was copied by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Right Hon. Speaker, House of Representatives, National Assembly stated, “We also note that the Nigerian Defence Academy was established on 5th January 1964, through the merging of the Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC, which is the training Institution for the Army; and the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC), which was responsible for training officers for the Nigerian Navy and Air Force.
“We further note that the core and primary objective of the Nigerian Defence Academy is to produce well-educated, trained and motivated officers for the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, by providing military training, academic prowess and character developments of cadets, aimed at preparing them for leadership roles in the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“We are aware that the Nigerian Army University, Biu (NAUB) was established by the Federal Government in the year 2018, with a special mandate as a hub for innovation and technological development for the Nigerian Defence sector and the nation, in order to meet the rapid development in the dynamics of modern warfare and other ancillary matters.
“We are further aware that in establishing NAUB, due process and the rule of law were strictly adhered to and approvals were sought from the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its meeting of 11th April 2018 which later culminated in an Act of National Assembly accented to by the President on the 1st April 2021.
“Subsequently the Act was published on 7th April 2021 in a gazette No. 110 Vol. 108 Nigerian Army University, Biu (Establishment) Act 2020.
“We also note that the vision of the University as conceptualized is to become a solution centre in technology, research and development for the promotion of self-reliance, creativity and innovation in addressing the educational challenges of Nigeria’s Army, military as well as the nation.
“This vision was derived from the experiences of similar universities all over the world such as the National Defence University of Technology in China, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh just to mention a few.
“We are also aware that the University is an assemblage, which comprises 75% civilian and 25% Military population, with a mixed staff strength, made up of both military and civilian intellectuals.
“Its programmes are carefully crafted and structured to strengthen the Nigerian Army and the nation, through sound and innovative application and deployment of science and technology.”