By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the draft Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) for military officers is aimed at enhancing efficiency and the general welfare of the members of the armed forces.

This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, on Monday in Abuja.

Gusau said the draft document also focused the effective discharge of the constitutional mandate of the military considering its current engagement in addressing multiple security challenges across the nation and beyond.

He said it would be counterproductive to target or retard the growth or progression of any category of officers in the armed forces as suggested by some media reports.

According to him, the clarification is in response to some media publications insinuating that the HTACOS for military officers was causing tension in the services.

He said the report suggested that many were planning to leave the service due to unfavorable terms contained in the draft document.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the current HTACOS was signed by the then President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017 and is to be reviewed every five years.

“The current leadership of the armed forces has kick started the process of reviewing the 2017 HTACOS which is long overdue.

“The committee of officers involved in the review comprises members from the 3 services and across different professions in the armed forces.

“As it stands, the draft is actually intended to be refined further by inputs from stakeholders,” he said.

Gusau said the publication clearly showed lack of in-depth research, adding that publishers could have consult appropriate authorities instead relying on hearsay.

“The DHQ seizes this opportunity to call on all Nigerians, particularly members of the armed forces, to disregard such publications and revert to the proper channels of communication as laid down by the military,” he added. (NAN)

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