The Nigerian Senate Committee on Army has called for the allocation of more funds that would cater to the welfare of serving officers of the Army in the country.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, made this known, on Friday, while speaking during an oversight visit to 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Odogbo Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, South-West Nigeria.
The Committee members were received by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General Gold Chibusi, who led the visitors on a tour of various projects within the Division.
While speaking on the inspection of facilities at the 2 Division, the Chairman of the Committee noted that the visit was a constitutional responsibility to assess the recent developments going on at the various formations of the Nigerian Army and to see what the army formations have been doing with the money allocated to them.
Ndume noted: “Especially the money allocated to them in the 2021 and the one proposed before the National Assembly for consideration. We want to always do what we know; that is to say, we cannot allocate without seeing or feeling the activities that are in the appropriation act for consideration.”
He further commended the 2 Division on the various projects inspected, noting that the ongoing construction of the skills acquisition centre at the 2 Division to train the wives of slain soldiers was commendable, as training the women to acquire skills would empower them and further complement the allowances being paid to them.
The committee Chairman stated: “Unfortunately, we lost some of the soldiers in the war front, leaving behind widows and children. The allowance the widows are receiving is not sustainable but when they acquire skills, they will be able to take care of themselves and their children. Even the acquisition centre will provide the skills necessary to substitute the income that those that are alive are receiving.”
According to Ndume, the exercise remains a constitutional responsibility given to the National Assembly for oversight and to see what the various military formations have done with the funds allocated to them, especially in 2021.
Afterwards, the committee members paid a courtesy visit on Governor Seyi Makinde, at the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Secretariat, Ibadan, where Senator Ndume lauded Makinde for his support for the Army and other security agencies in the state.
Responding, Governor Makinde commended the members of the committee for the initiative, adding that all hands must be on deck to support the Army for adequate security of lives and property in the country.
“It’s a challenging period for all of us as a nation. We are faced with all of these challenges and we also have economic challenges. So, we are asking them to do all of these with little or nothing. The only thing all of us can do is to rally around them, give them the support such that when they are in faraway places, they will know that their families left at home are at least receiving attention.”
The committee further assured the state government of the support of the National Assembly in the area of security.
PIAK
