Stakeholders Advocate Integration Of Economy, Food, Health In Security Planning

Participants at a civil-military relations conference have advocated the adoption of a comprehensive human security framework that integrates economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political dimensions into national planning, ensuring freedom from fear and want across Nigeria’s diverse populations.

This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the conference with the theme; “Winning Hearts and Minds: Non-Kinetic Approaches to National Security.”

Proceedings at the conference identified a range of critical issues militating Nigeria’s national security landscape.

After deliberations, the conference recommended among other things that
the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, AFN, state governments and NEMA should intensify efforts to ensure food security by investing in agricultural recovery, facilitating access to farming inputs and providing security for farmers in conflict-prone areas.

“The AFN, ONSA and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs should expand non-kinetic operations by strengthening initiatives such as OPSC, the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) and the Victim Support Fund to address the root causes of insecurity and reintegrate more ex-combatants into the society,” it said.

It also called on the Ministry of Information, Defence Headquarters and media houses to ensure adequate media engagement for accurate, real-time reporting that builds public trust while safeguarding operational security.