Defence Minister Urges Staff to Embrace Unity, Professionalism

The Minister of Defence, Gen Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), has urged staff of the Ministry of Defence to embrace unity, professionalism, mutual respect and constructive dialogue to improve productivity and service delivery.

Musa made the call in Abuja while receiving the 2026 Union Award alongside other members of the ministry’s management and staff during the Union Week Celebration and Award Presentation Day held at the Ministry’s headquarters, Ship House.

The minister said industrial harmony was not merely the absence of disagreements between management and labour, but required mutual respect, fairness, constructive engagement and a shared commitment to the objectives of the ministry.

He stressed that the effectiveness of the defence ministry depended on the collective efforts of military personnel, civilian staff, management and organised labour.

Musa urged staff to give their best to their responsibilities, noting that every individual had a role to play in strengthening the ministry.

He also emphasised the importance of professional ethics, integrity, discipline, accountability and commitment to duty, saying policies, structures and resources could only produce the desired results when personnel demonstrated professionalism and dedication.

The minister encouraged staff to pursue continuous improvement and question practices that could be made more effective, rather than accepting them simply because “that is how it has always been done.”

He urged personnel to identify areas requiring improvement and ensure that they left the workplace better than they found it.

Musa commended the civilian workforce for its contributions to the ministry’s operations, particularly in administration, finance, logistics, technical, medical, legal and other specialised areas.

While congratulating the award recipients, he reminded them that “the reward for hard work is more work”, urging them to regard the recognition as motivation to contribute more to the ministry and the nation.

He also commended the Joint Executive Council (JEC) for organising the event and promoting industrial harmony, professionalism and constructive engagement between management and the union.

Earlier, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Bosede Olaniyi, said the theme of the celebration, “Promoting Industrial Harmony and Professional Ethics in the World of Work,” required collective commitment.

Olaniyi said industrial harmony began with mutual respect, fairness and understanding, as well as recognition of the dignity of every individual and the provision of appropriate channels through which every voice could be heard.

In his vote of thanks, the President of the JEC, Comrade Dahiru Goronyo, appreciated the ministry’s management for its spirit of comradeship and cooperation, while calling for continuous improvement in service delivery.