Defence Minister Harps on Modern Technology for National Security
Nigeria is forging ahead in its resolve to adopt globally acceptable standard in cutting-edge technologies in the management of the nation’s security and defence architecture.
The Minister of Defence Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) disclosed this in a lecture titled : Defence Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Nigeria : Ministry of Defence in Perspective.
The 38 paged paper which was delivered at the National Defence College Abuja to Course participants onbehalf of the defence Minister by his special Adviser Technical, Major General Ahmed Tijani Jibrin (rtd) chronicled the Federal Government’s techniques for forecasting, planning, directing, coordinating, and controlling human, physical and information management matrix to achieve national security.
While referencing modells of some advanced countries and breakthroughs in the management of their defence systems, General Magashi said the Federal Government has keyed into cutting- edge technologies of the fourth Industrial Revolution ( 4IR) to comprehensively defeat all adversaries currently disturbing the peace of the Country.
He described the defence Ministry as a highly complex organisation not minding the size of the national armed forces pointing out that the modern defence institution is a product of the socio – political and economic functions of the state.
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He identified some fundamental pillars of defence management to include policy formulation, and implementation as well as core processes like finance, acquisition and human resources .
The paper traced the history of Industrial Revolution in which he said that the Militaries which could best seize the opportunities were also the ones that achieved what he called game – changing advantages in war.
He buttressed this with the introduction of steamed – powered ships introduced in 1810s as well as the incorporation of metallurgy on the Ironclads deployed during the American Civil War in 1862 and the first use of aeroplane in combat during the Italy- Turkish War that sparked the change in perception of military offence and defence.
The paper also x-rayed integration of Defence Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence since 1979 which is in conformity with global practice that typified Pakistani and USA defence headquarters structure.
The defence Minister placed it on record that tremendous achievements have been recorded by the Armed Forces under the present administration which include increased operational capacity, degrading capacity of Boko Haram, improved partnership with foreign Militaries and procurement of equipment.
Also Challenges in the defence management such as poor involvement of Civil Society actors, funding deficit, infrastructural decay and obsolete equipment were identified and disected.to chart the ways forward.
Signed
Mohammad Abdulkadri
Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity.
7th March 2021
