The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS),Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has appreciated the cordial relationship between the Nigerian Army and the people of Epe, as he commissioned some projects at the Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC).

Lagbaja commissioned the accommodation complex of Nigerian Army (NA) Ordinance School Officers, the NA Cantonment Jetty, Epe and the Papa Primary Healthcare Centre, Epe as part of the army’s civil-military cooperation to the community.

He said that the eight-bedroom medical Papa Health Centre was constructed under the COAS Quick Impact Project Scheme to have an immediate positive impact in the community.

“In our task of safeguarding the lives and property of our citizens, the cooperation and collaboration of the civil populace is highly essential for us to succeed.

“This project is to further strengthen the existing excellent relations between the Epe Community and the Nigerian Army.

“This cooperation has overtime significantly contributed to the successes recorded by the NA and we look forward to an even closer cooperation in future,” the COAS said.

Lagbaja implored the Papa Community and the wider Epe Community to make full use of the health centre and all the facilities provided.

He urged the Epe Local Government Administration saddled with the responsibility of managing the health centre to ensure that the facilities were well maintained in order for the public to derive maximum benefit from it.

The COAS added that the newly commissioned jetty would bring relief to the traffic situation in Lagos necessitating  the need to  make maximum use of every available means of transportation especially the waterways.

“So, this jetty would be put to good use by the troops and their families especially when they are going to places like Ikorodu, the Island and even Badagry,” Lagbaja said.

In the same vein, the NAOC Commander, Maj.-Gen. Jonathan Ugwuoke, said that the health facility had a fully equipped ambulance for emergencies.

“The centre has a fully equipped Maternity Section with standard delivery bed, laboratory, scanning room, pharmacy section, main ward, child care room and central kitchen to cater for admitted patients.

“All rooms are fitted with air conditioning system and cooling facilities for the preservation of hygroscopic materials.

“From the already commissioned projects, it is clear that the Epe Community, the Nigerian Army Cantonment Epe and NOAC have all benefited immensely from the COAS’s magnanimity,” he said.

Ugwuoke said that the corps had already keyed into the COAS Command Philosophy aimed at transforming the Nigerian Army into a well trained, equipped and highly motivated force to achieve our constitutional responsibility with a joint environment.

“On behalf of all officers and soldiers of NAOC, I pledge our unalloyed loyalty to the COAS and the President of Nigeria, Mr Bola Tinubu,” the commander said.

The Oba Oloja (traditional ruler) of Epe Land, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, appreciated the Nigerian Army for the grand gesture toward providing a health centre equipped with the necessary facilities.

The oba also thanked the COAS for donating an ambulance to the community for emergencies.

“We will ensure that the facilities are well kept and put to good use by the people of Epe. This facility will be beneficial in improving the health of our people,” Animashaun assured.