The Nigeria Army School of Physical Training Zaria has erected the fifth world highest Military Rappelling Tower to combat height phobia in trainees.
Brig.-Gen. Abdurraheem Bello the Commandant of the school told newsmen on the sidelines of the National Conference of National Association of Physical, Health Education, Recreation, Sports and Dance, in Zaria on Thursday.
He said the tower will enhance troops’ physical and mental fitness, professionalism and timely response to emergencies.
The commandant said the tower would help soldiers overcome height phobia and develop confidence.
“It is the only tower in the world that has lateral drift attached to it and is used to fly a trainee down from the tower. It has a height of 33 feet from the base of the tower.
“The length of the lateral drift is 60ft while the height from the rappelling tower base is 30ft,” the commandant said.
He further said that the institution was the only school in the country where the Army trains its physical training instructors.
He said the school had proffered robust innovations and streamlined its programmes in line with the vision of the Chief of Army Staff towards ensuring soldiers and officers remained physically fit.
The commandant said the school had reviewed its curriculum, introduced new courses and strengthened its collaborations with key stakeholders, to enrol more students.
He commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Faruk Yahaya for providing enabling environment for the school to excel on its mandate.
Bello said the school has also contacted the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria for affiliation.
“However, strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was a major impediment to the partnership between the two institutions.
“The school has the necessary requirements and equipment for the award of certificates, Diplomas and degrees in physical and health education related courses, Kinesiology, Anatomy and Physiology.
“If you now open a gym, a person training at the gym is called instructor/trainer and by Gods willing when somebody retired from the Nigeria Army today he has a job at hand unless he is not interested.”
