Odita Sunday 
Defence Minister Urges Staff to Embrace Unity, Professionalism for Higher Productivity
By Odita Sunday
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), has urged staff of the Ministry of Defence to embrace unity, professionalism, mutual respect and constructive dialogue to enhance productivity and improve service delivery.
Musa made the call on Wednesday, while receiving the 2026 Union Award alongside 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, Abuja.
The Minister stressed that industrial harmony goes beyond the absence of disagreements between management and workers, saying it requires mutual respect, fairness, constructive engagement and a shared commitment to the objectives of the Ministry.
He noted that the effectiveness of the Ministry of Defence depended on the collective contributions of military personnel, civilian staff, management and organised labour.
According to him, every member of staff has a role to play in strengthening the Ministry and improving its capacity to deliver on its mandate.
Musa also emphasised the importance of professional ethics, integrity, discipline, accountability and commitment to duty, noting that policies, structures and resources could only produce the desired results when those entrusted with them demonstrated professionalism and dedication.
He urged staff to pursue continuous improvement in their respective workplaces rather than accepting existing practices simply because they had always been done that way.
The Minister encouraged personnel to ask questions, identify areas requiring improvement and ensure that they left their workplaces better than they found them.
Musa commended the civilian workforce for its contributions to the operations of the Ministry, particularly in administration, finance, logistics, technical, medical, legal and other specialised areas.
He congratulated the award recipients and urged them to regard the recognition as motivation to contribute more to the Ministry and the nation.
“The reward for hard work is more work,” he said.
The Minister also commended the leadership of 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,” called for collective commitment by management and staff.
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.
She urged staff to sustain the values necessary for a productive and harmonious workplace.
In his vote of thanks, the President of the Joint Executive Council, Comrade Dahiru Goronyo, appreciated the Ministry’s management for the spirit of comradeship and cooperation.
Goronyo also stressed the need for continuous improvement in service delivery, urging staff and management to sustain collaboration towards achieving the objectives of the Ministry.
The event formed part of activities marking the Ministry’s 2026 Union Week celebration and provided an opportunity to recognise outstanding contributions by members of staff while promoting stronger relations between management and organised labour.
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