Barring last minute changes over 700 soldiers of the Nigerian Army and others from the Nigerian military are on their way out of the service, it has emerged.
Already, the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC) at Oshodi in Lagos State has enrolled the over 700 soldiers comprising Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs), for a six-month course ahead of their retirement.
The SNCOs, who are drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, would undergo trainings to demilitarise them in courses that would also improve their mental health as well as managerial and self-reliant skills acquisition.
Meanwhile, NAFRC Commandant, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Idi Lubo, has urged them to make good use of the array of opportunities available to obtain quality training and education in a wide variety of entrepreneurial fields.
He made the brief speech while inaugurating the soldiers for the pre-retirement course.
Said Lubo, “The NAFRC Servicemen/women Course is traditionally for a period of six months. Accordingly, a robust and well packaged training programme has been specifically designed. During the course, you will receive lectures from renowned resource persons and specialists on a broad range of topics, including entrepreneurship and general management, retirement planning, security and safety practice”.
The NAFRC’s commandant added, “These lectures are specifically designed to help you build up profitable post-retirement ventures towards self-sustenance and seamless re-integration into civil society.
“I am pleased to inform you that the feedbacks from the past trainees who have benefitted from this same course indicate that most graduates of this centre are thriving entrepreneurs in a broad range of business ventures nationwide.
“A significant number of these graduates are even employers of labour and have expanded their businesses beyond their immediate locality”.
He is optimistic the trainees would obtain the necessary skills sets to operate as effective entrepreneurs, ready to explore and exploit the opportunities for profit-making and income generation available in the open market.
The commandant admonished them on the need to be committed, diligent and make sacrifices that would propel them to the desired end.
Assuring the soon to be retired soldiers that the centre prioritises issues of physical and mental health of all trainees and other workers, Lubo disclosed that necessary arrangements had been made for their fitness throughout their course.
Hear him, “Please, note that this centre prohibits self-medication of any sort. Adequate and essential drugs have been provided at the Medical Centre and you are encouraged to promptly report all cases of illness through the appropriate channels. Serious cases of illness or injury would be evacuated to the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospitals, when necessary”.
He went on, “Furthermore, the centre also has a Counseling Department located behind the NAFRC Headquarters complex. The Department has skilled professionals and you are encouraged to request for scheduled sessions to discuss issues that may affect your mental health while on the course, including issues relating to life challenges, retirement concerns, among others…” he said.