By GRACE AUDU, Abuja, Nigeria –
Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has charged members of the Executive Intelligence Management Course 14 of the National Institute of Security Studies (NISS) to develop homegrown solutions to African challenges.
The Minister made the suggestion during a courtesy call on him by the course participants to the FCT Administration in Abuja.
The course participants are senior officials drawn from various government Ministries Departments and Agencies and 3 countries from the West African sub-region.
According to the Minister, there was the need to identify solutions that were home grown and best suited to meet the peculiar challenges of Nigeria and African countries.
Chief Press Secretary in the FTCA, Anthony Ogunleye, quotes the Minister as saying, “it is very important to appreciate that solutions to our challenges are within us. So, we have to identify solutions that are home-grown, that are adapted to our own peculiar environment in Nigeria, West Africa and the African Continent. These possible solutions include the promotion of democracy and democratic values, the fight against corruption and the supremacy of the constitution and rule of law.”
“I think these are very fundamental. If we don’t hold on to them, it becomes very difficult for us to surmount our challenges. These are the core values that the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is entrenching in Nigeria,” the Minister said.
While calling for unity among all Nigerians as a way of surmounting national challenges, the Minister said “The FCT and Abuja in particular as the capital of Nigeria is also the symbol of our unity and rallying point for all our very diverse peoples and cultures. We have realized long ago that the greatest strength of our country are her people and as long as the people are united, no challenge is insurmountable.”
Mallam Bello urged the course participants to “look closely at these values that unite us as Africans so that we as a people will be able to solve our own challenges.”
The Minister called on them to work hard at blending with the local communities where they are serving so as to get the necessary intelligence needed to succeed in their duties.
In her welcome remarks, the Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu said that the theme for the course which is “Governance, Security and sustainable development in Africa: Nexus, Challenges and Prospects” was not only apt but also an affirmation of the mission for which the Institute was established.
She also expressed hope that the course participants will contribute uniquely towards generating ideas that will secure the country and called on them to promote inter-service, intra-agency and international cooperation amongst security agencies.
In his address the Commandant of the Institute Mr Ayodele Adeleke said that it was envisaged that the outcome of the 10 month programme will serve as a veritable tool to policy makers, security agencies and all relevant institutions in confronting the ever dynamic security threat within Nigeria and the African continent. He also called on African countries to network and partner with each other for peace and sustainable development.
Also at the event were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, and the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr Umar Gambo Jibrin, and heads of the various relevant Secretariats and Departments of the FCTA.