2023 budget: Defence, security sector get highest budgetary allocation of N2.74trn so far

Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday expressed overwhelming support for a bill which seeks to establish the Bureau for Defense Logistics charged with the responsibility of providing logistics, acquisition and technical support for the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force and other Military Formations in the country.

The private member titled: ‘Bureau for Defense Logistics Bill, 2021, was sponsored by Hon. Sulaiman Gumi observed that the proposed Bill seeks to establish a world-class organization that shall have the sole responsibility of managing military procurement and acquisitions in the country.

He said: “it may interest us to note that since 2015, the Nigeria Defense budget has been over N1 trillion, annually. The most recent 2023 budget proposal allocates the highest amount of N2.74 trillion i.e. 13 per cent of the total budget to Defense & security.

“Apparently, we are all aware that large forms of military acquisitions have been associated with these huge sums of monies appropriated and released for Defence and Security. It is true that after the civil war, the major operations of the military especially, have been limited to peacekeeping engagements and in recent times, counter-insurgency in different regions of the country.

“This has obviously put immense pressure on military spending in the country in order to achieve relative peace. The argument, however, is that spending on defence and security has not been commensurate with the results obtained. The most difficult aspect is accountability in the entire process of procuring military and security infrastructure and apparatus.

“Parts of the reforms that may have arisen from the Security Summit put together by this Honourable House some time ago is the imperativeness of an effective, coordinated and responsive system of procuring military equipment where military spending can be done in a transparent and professional manner. Indeed, this is the world’s best practice for nations involved in large military operations like us.

“Today I stand before you to present the proposal to establish the Bureau for Defense Logistics charged with the responsibility of providing logistics, acquisition and technical support for the Army, Navy, Air Force and similar military formations and for connected matters
The Bill is divided into 4 parts comprising 16 clauses. It seeks to establish the Bureau for Defense Logistics as a corporate body.

“The proposed Bureau shall have the objective and function to amongst others, restore and strengthen the readiness and lethality of the armed forces; while also, managing the global supply chain, from raw materials to end user, for the armed forces in Nigeria.

“The Bureau shall have a Council to be headed by the Minister responsible for Defense including members from the related military, security, finance and intelligence organizations. The Council shall have the power to make regulations as in its opinion are necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the provisions of the Bill and for the due administration of its provision.

“The Bill proposes the appointment of a serving or retired military personnel not below the rank of a Brigadier General as the Director General. He shall be assisted by a pool of civilian and military staff, with expertise and knowledge in the area of military acquisitions and logistics,” Hon. Gumi noted.

While noting that the proposed law was also designed to reduce the cost of providing logistics for the military when replicated in Nigeria, he maintained that the legislative instrument was premeditated on the need to encourage more financing and funding methods, including the development and expansion of local production of military hardware.

To this end, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Idris Wase who presided over the plenary referred the bill to relevant security committees for further legislative action.

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2023 budget: Defence, security sector get highest budgetary allocation of N2.74trn so far