The first lady, Aisha Buhari, has charged female participants of Executive Intelligence Management Course 14 of National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) to utilise the knowledge and skills acquired for sustainable peace and security of Nigeria.
Buhari gave the charge during the graduation ceremony for members of Executive Intelligence Management Course-14 of NISS held at the Lower Usuma Dam in Bwari, Abuja.
The first lady applauded the tenacity, courage and commitment of the female participants in their quest to contribute their quota towards ensuring sustainable peace and security in the country.
She therefore urged them to sustain the tempo and use the knowledge acquired to ensure peaceful co-existence of their immediate society.
“ It is therefore my believe that the 10-months rigorous training has equipped you with relevant knowledge and experiences needed to tackle the current security situation in the country.”
While appreciating them for their successful outing as graduates of the institute, the first lady charged them to be good Ambassadors of the Institute.
Buhari commended the effort of the Institute and encouraged them to always promote the culture of gender equality as well as equal opportunities for men and women in terms of admissions.
On his part, the Director General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, said that the institute would continue to provide strategic studies and necessary skills for participants to deliver on their mandate.
Bichi, who described the participants as change agents, urged them to apply the strategies they acquire where necessary.
He said that strategic thinking was always required for security personnel to do their job efficiently and effectively.
“You have to maintain strategic thinking at all times,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of Nigeria Governors Wives Forum, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, expressed the need for security personnel to always acquire strategic skills for better security management of the country.
Fayemi said security personnel required modern technology to function adequately, hence the need to continue equipping them towards optimal performance.
“ As a chair of the Nigeria Governors Wives Forum, I will also raise the point that for us as Governors Wives, we raise our concern about the issue of gender based violence and the implication of drug trafficking.
“ That is why I am impressed to see a significant number of women who have been part of this security programme, it means there would be more women on the table when critical decisions around security are been made.
“ Because, they would be able to take required steps to ensure that gender issues are also of security concern,’’ she said.(NAN)