The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has commissioned the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport’s reactivated petroleum, oil and lubricant (POL) station and petroleum products laboratory (PPL). The station and laboratory which are critical in training of supply and store men critical in the logistics supply chain has been inactive for almost 20 years.
The COAS who was represented by the Chief of Logistics, Major General Erema Akerejola, noted that the reactivation of the POL station and petroleum products laboratory signify a deepening of training with hands on experience at the NASST. This the representative of the COAS said sits squarely in tandem with the COAS Command philosophy which is to “Transform the Nigerian Army into a Well Trained, Equipped and Highly Motivated Force Towards Achieving our Constitutional Responsibilities within a Joint Environment”.
Earlier, the Commandant of the NASST, Brigadier General Nansak Shagaya described the Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport as a special to type Institute, critical to the generation of skilled manpower amongst Officers and Soldiers in the logistics chain. He enumerated some of the professionals produced by the institute to include Drivers, Fire Fighters, Caterers and Supply and Store men.
Brigadier General Shagaya said the reactivation of the dilapidated and abandoned POL Station and the Petroleum products laboratory were borne out of the need to fill practical training gabs which he noticed on assumption of command. He added that with the reactivation of the station and laboratory, critical manpower requirements of the army would be trained in the school as opposed to going out. The POL station and PPL will therefore serve as training aid for the students of Supply and Storeman courses.
Highpoint of the event was the commissioning and tree planting at the School Headquarters. In attendance were the Commander Corps of Supply and Transport, Major General Adekunle Adeyinka, the Dean Faculty of Operation NA Heritage and Future Centre Maj Gen OM Dare, Deputy Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Major General EA Anaryu, Directors from Defence and Army Headquarters, Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport, Commanders of Various Supply and Transport Commands, Senior officers amongst many other invited guests.