Only 9% of miliraty budget spent on weapons – Gbajabiamila – Newstrends
Connect with us

News

Only 9% of miliraty budget spent on weapons – Gbajabiamila

Published

on

  • DHQ: Nigeria needs N826bn annually to fund armed forces

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, says only nine per cent of the total budget of the military is spent on weapons.
He stated this at a public hearing on the Armed Forces Support Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, organised by the House Committee on Defence on Monday in Abuja.

This came as the Defence Headquarters said Nigeria would need $2bn (about N826bn) annually to fund its armed forces to effectively combat the daunting challenges of insecurity facing the country.
This disclosure also came on Monday just it was revealed that some members of the Armed Forces currently engaged in the fight against insurgency and other criminal act are lobbying to be redeployed from the area where they are posted as a result of poor welfare.

Gbajabiamila said that appropriation records showed that about 91 per cent of the current funding of the Armed Forces was spent on recurrent overhead, salaries and welfare.
“This bill seeks to provide an injection of additional capital funding for the Armed Forces of Nigeria at a crucial time in our nation.

“I am sure many of you will wonder why the Armed Forces of Nigeria need an additional financial injection at this time.
“The fact based on appropriation records is that about 91 per cent of the current funding to the Armed Forces go on recurrent overhead, salaries and welfare, leaving only nine per cent for capital purchases.
“This reality has prompted this 9th House of Representatives to seek a way of providing funds that will be focused on the capital needs and training of our Armed Forces,’’ he said.
Gbajabiamila said that the importance of the bill is evidenced by the dwindling resources available to the Armed Forces to prosecute the various security operations it is involved in.
Gbajabiamila said that Nigeria’s expenditure on military hardware and training in the last five years was between nine per cent and 11 per cent of the budgetary allocation to the military.
He said that it was incapable of empowering the military to face the security challenges in the country especially the insurgency in the North-East.
Gbajabiamila said that to succeed in the fight against insecurity, the military would need more funding for modern weapons and training.
He said, “Nigeria is at war against insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and all manner of insecurity; hence the need to uplift the resources available to our armed services to enable them procure the best tools to help win this war.
“So, what we seek to do in this bill is not new or unique to us as a nation; the solution to our security challenges requires asymmetric actions across many policy areas. This is what we have tried to do as the representatives of the people.
“The concept of a trust fund already exists for the Nigerian Police; it only makes sense to also bolster our military capability as well through this unique vehicle.”
Chairman, House, House Committee on Defence, Rep. Benson Babajimi (APC-Lagos) said that the bill sought to explore alternative sources of funding for the military.

Meanwhile, Director of Production, Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal M. A. Yakubu, who spoke at the public hearing said even the sources of funding specified in the bill would be inadequate to tackle the problem.
He said the projection for funding in the Bill is estimated at about N100bn per year.
When established, the Support Trust Fund is expected to draw funds from one per cent of the total money accruing to the federation account; 0.5 per cent of the profit made from the investment of the National Sovereign Wealth Fund (NSWF) by the Nigerian Sovereign Investment, one percent of Value Added Tax (VAT) remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) as well as any take-off grant and special intervention fund as may be provided by the Federal Government, states and local governments of the Federation.
It will also draw funds from one percent of the air ticket contract, charter and cargo sales charge to be collected by the airlines and paid to the support fund; Aids, grant and all assistance from international agencies, nongovernmental organizations and the private sectors; and Money derived from investments made by the Support Fund.
But AVM Yakubu said this will still be inadequate, saying “I have been a defence attaché in the United States of America from 2014 to 2017. I have been a Director of Procurement at the headquarters of the Nigerian Airforce for another two years.
“I have been a chief of logistics also at the headquarters Nigerian Airforce for another two years. So I am fully conversant with what it takes to run the affairs of a fighting Airforce.
“I also understand the limitations we have in Nigeria and what it should have been. I want you to understand how large is this problem we are trying to address before I make my point.”

News

JUST IN: Tinubu confers national honours on fallen soldiers, approves house, scholarships for families 

Published

on

JUST IN: Tinubu confers national honours on fallen soldiers, approves house, scholarships for families 

President Bola Tinubu has conferred posthumous national honours on the four officers and 13 soldiers killed in Okuama, Delta State, on March 14, 2024.

The four officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON) while the 13 courageous soldiers who also lost their lives were awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

The President said that the Federal Government would provide a house in any part of the country to each of the families of the four officers and 13 soldiers.

He also approved scholarships for all the children of the deceased up to the university level.

The President mandated the Military to, within the next 90 days, ensure that all the benefits of the departed are paid to their families.

Tinubu as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria spoke on Wednesday at the National Cemetery in Abuja during the burial of the fallen soldiers.

Tinubu stated that Nigeria owes the valiant soldiers and their families debt of gratitude.

The President vowed that those who committed the heinous crime of killing the officers and soldiers would not go unpunished, stressing, “We will find them and our departed heroes will get justice.”

The fallen heroes are as follows:

Lieutenant Colonel Ali

Major D.E Obi

Major S.D. Ashafa

Captain U. Zakari

Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu

Corporal Danbaba Yahaya

Corporal Kabir Bashir

Lance Corporal Abdullahi Ibrahim

Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna

Lance Corporal Sole Opeyemi

Lance Corporal Bello Anas

Private Alhaji Isah

Private Clement Francis

Private Abubakar Ali

Private Adamu Ibrahim

Private Hamman Peter

Private Ibrahim Adamu

 

Part of Tinubu’s Speech

“It is with heavy heart that I join you today to commit to earth, the remains of our officers and men who died in the course of duty on 14 March 2024 in Okuama Community, Delta State.

“The officers and soldiers who lost their lives that day were patriots, brave and noble men who gave their lives to defend and protect our nation against internal and external threats. Their sacrifice will be remembered and honoured for generations to come and their.

“On 14 March, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community.

“They went as peace makers and peace keepers respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities.

“They didn’t go with tanks, machine guns and other weapons. They were on a mission of peace.

“Before the dastardly attack, Lt. Colonel Ali, as the Chief of Army Staff briefed me, enjoyed great operational exploits; fighting terrorists and insurgents in the North East and North West before his deployment to the Niger Delta.

“Ali kept faith with his military calling till the end.

“On behalf of a grateful nation, we honour the sacrifice of Ali and the other gallant patriots who died that day. They will forever be remembered as heroes who answered the call of duty and paid the ultimate price.

“Each man now belongs to the hallowed list of servicemen and women who defended our country and protected their fellow Nigerians not minding the risk to their own lives.

“They have all been awarded posthumous national honours. The four gallant Officers have been accorded the Award of Member of the Order of Niger (MON). The thirteen courageous soldiers who also lost their lives have been Awarded the Officer of the Federal Republic Medal.

“I commiserate with the families of our fallen heroes and the entire Armed Forces. I share in the pain and grief you carry today. It is my prayer that God will comfort all who are bereaved as a result of this tragedy.”

Continue Reading

News

FG declares March 29, April 1 Easter holiday

Published

on

FG declares March 29, April 1 Easter holiday

The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1, as public holidays to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this in a statement on Wednesday by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Aishetu Ndayako.

Part of the message read, “Easter, beyond religious significance, promotes values of love, forgiveness, and compassion, which are essential for social cohesion and harmony.

“While wishing Christians at home and abroad a happy and blissful Easter celebration, the minister also called on Nigerians to join hands with President Tinubu-led administration in its determination to bring sustainable development and usher in prosperity for all.”

The minister urged Nigerians to show acts of charity and generosity to help alleviate the material conditions of the less privileged among them.

Continue Reading

News

BREAKING: Bodies of 17 officers murdered in Delta arrive Abuja military cemetery

Published

on

BREAKING: Bodies of 17 officers murdered in Delta arrive Abuja military cemetery

The remains of the military personnel killed in Delta State on March 14, 2024 have arrived the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.

The bodies, which arrived at about 2:26pm on Wednesday, were conveyed by the Military Ambulance Emergency vehicles and was accompanied by the FCT Ambulance Emergency services.

Our correspondent reports that top military echelons from various formations across the country are currently on ground to pay last respect to the fallen heroes.

READ ALSO:

Distraught relatives and relations of the deceased personnel as well as wives of other military officers are also on ground. The burial is billed to also have the President, Bola Tinubu in attendance.

Recall the troops of 181 Amphibious Batallion, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State while on peace mission to Okuoma Community were surrounded and killed by some irate youths in the community.

The incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuoma and Okoloba communities both in Delta.

BREAKING: Bodies of 17 officers murdered in Delta arrive Abuja military cemetery

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content