NAN-H-72
WAI
Wailo (Bauchi) March13,2017(NAN)The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has appealed to government at all levels to make provisions for the agency’s War Against Indiscipline ( WAI) brigade in their budgetary allocation to enable the brigade contribute effectively in ensuring public safety.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr Garba Abari, made the appeal on Monday in Wailo, Bauchi state, at the opening ceremony of a five day training session for WAI brigadiers across the federation.
He said that such gesture would assist in offsetting the stipends paid to them, as well as other costs incurred in kitting, logistics and running cost.
Abari stated that the WAI brigade members operated across the country, from state capitals to wards, and were in a better position to assist in ensuring peace and security.
He said the training was aimed at repositioning the brigade considering the national security challenges, adding that the exercise would equip them with the needed skills for optimum performance.
“The five days training is on civil intelligence, information gathering, and community policing.
“This will further reposition members as there are about 20 WAI brigade members from each electoral ward and more than 50 from each local government area.
“They are therefore closer to the people at the grass root and can provide useful information to other security agencies, “he said.
Abari then called on the state government to engage the services of WAI brigadiers, especially in the area of crowd control during public functions.
In his remarks, the National Security Adviser, Rtd Gen. Babagana Monguno, represented by the Director for Policy, Mr Abba Umar, said that for the WAI brigadiers to ensure national security, they themselves must be security conscious.
He advised them to maintain hierarchy, to enable effective communication and planning, especially with subordinates.
In his remark, Gov Mohammed Abubakar, represented by the State Head of Service, Alhaji Liman Bello, commended WAI brigade members for being vanguards in the campaign against indiscipline and corruption.
He said that the state government would support NOA and the brigadiers to achieve the set goal of orienting the society on proper ways of doing things.
In his speech, the National Commander of WAI Brigade, Mr Muhammed Mustapha, thanked the state government, as well as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) secretariat in Bauchi, for accepting to host the trainees at the NYSC orientation camp in Wailo.
The News agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 2000 participants from 36 states of the federation and Abuja are participating in the five days training.(NAN)
AE/ASH/ASH