The Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Makurdi Benue State, has concluded a three months skills acquisition training for family members of soldiers in the NASME Cantonment.

The General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adamu Baba Abubakar, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the graduation ceremony of trainees of Fish Farming Course issued certificates to 25 graduands of the course.

In a statement issued in Enugu on Sunday, Deputy Director of Public Relations 82, Nigerian Army, Colonel Sagir Musa recalled that in view of the importance the Nigerian Army places on the welfare of troops and their families, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai, has in his wisdom, initiated and successfully ensured the actualisation of the establishment of Barracks Investment Initiative Programme (BIIP) in all the NA barracks and cantonments across the nation.

“Consequently, in line with the COAS directive which is to improve on the welfare of troops and their families among others, the Commandant NASME, Major General AO Shodanke, ensured the establishment of various agro allied businesses, skills acquisition training programmes and cooperative societies for NASME community.

“The focus is to ensure that barracks women, youths and the unemployed graduates and other school leavers in the barracks are gainfully employed in agro related businesses which could empower them financially to meet their basic necessities of life,” the statement read.

In his address at the occasion, Major General Shodanke stated: “Here in NASME, under my leadership, we effectively established simple modern facilities for mega hatchery, fish farming, goatery and cattle ranches to cater for all categories of interested members of the NASME family . . . I am happy to state that the number of emerging income earners arising from the noble initiative of the COAS is daily on the increase here in NASME cantonment.”

On his part, Major General Abubakar highlighted the achievements of the BIIP, and commended the leadership of the NASME for taking the necessary steps towards the realisation of the noble intention of the COAS. He commended the participants of the course and the chief facilitators, Professor SG Solomon and Dr. Olufeagba of the Department of Fishery and Aquaculture, University of Makurdi for a well packaged and executed programme, which will certainly benefit the NASME community.

Highlights of the event include the presentation of a simple workable pamphlets, a structured training guide on fish farming, breeding techniques, fish feeds manufacture, pond production and hatchery management written by NASME in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders such as the University of Agriculture, Makurdi and the National Industrial Skills and Development.

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