When Army made strong case for welfare of its men

The Nigerian Army Finance Corps recently held its 11th Biennial Training Conference at Army Headquarters Command Officers Mess, Apapa, Lagos. CHRIS AGBAMBU examines the daunting challenges the Nigerian Army faces in tackling insurgency in view of the dwindling resources to meet its constitutional responsibilities and increasing insecurity in the country.

OVER the years, the country has had its fair share of insecurities ranging from the Boko haram insurgency, kidnapping, and most recently farmers and herdsmen clashes among others. This have no doubt affected the country’s socio-economic activities. It has crippled the economy of rural communities and denied rural households of livelihood. By extension, it collapsed Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) into the country due to fear of insecure and uncertain business environment. The Nigerian Army in a bid to stem the tide of these security challenges, stood firm and waded into the situation to uphold peace, especially in the North-eastern part of the country as well as other places where crime seem to be an everyday business.

In the process, the supreme price was paid at several war fronts including the insurgents and agitators at the Niger Delta region. Some redneck and gallant top officers also lost their lives at prime when they suffered severe ambush by the enemy. The sacrifices were enormous and thus, worth commending. The Nigerian military is known for its giant strides and leadership acumen in peace missions across Africa. Their interventions in crisis torn nations is too early to forget. No wonder the amazement, that despite these outstanding performances and track records, it was odd to note of the insurgent outshining the troops.

Before the current administration, the erstwhile government led by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, the war against terrorism seemed to be going at a snail speed, with views that revealed how the insurgents appeared to be winning the battle. It was a public knowledge. Obviously, as a result of the little or no priority given to welfare of soldiers, who are at the war front. This had affected the progress that would have been recorded.

Incidentally, towards the end of the past administration which ushered the new one, there was a sudden shift. Within a very short space, the military had killed hundreds of insurgents, smoked out the miscreants and reclaimed the lost territories. As a result, there came volunteers who voluntarily surrendered to the military and thus benefitted from the rehabilitation and re-orientation programme of the military.

Many security experts, politicians and public analysts attributed this milestone to the resolve of the current administration led by the President Muhammadu Buhari, who prioritized welfare of the troops on the battlefields. Aside from personally visiting the troops to boost their morals and enrich their sense of belongings, he took care of their payments and allowances. He made them smile again and went further to relocate the Command Centre to Maiduguri. As a result there has been obvious improvements in the fight against terrorism.

While stressing the importance of welfare to service delivery, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai at the 2017  eleventh Nigerian  army Finance Corps biennial training conference   held recently in Lagos, stated that the Army has faced daunting challenges lately stating that apart from insurgency in the North-East, it has had to contend with other challenges ranging from kidnapping,armed robbery, banditry, oil bunkery among others.

According to him, concerted efforts put in place to tackle the menace could only be sustained through adequate funding even as he noted that;”the support of the government in this direction has been commendable.”

Buttressing on the theme:”Military Expenditure and Combat Readiness: Realistic Funding as a panacea for sustaining Nigerian Army operations,” he said the expansion of the Nigerian Army occasioned by the approval of the 2016 Nigerian Army order of battle has further stretched the financial resources of the NA.

“Apart from the ongoing counter insurgency operations in the North east , the Nigerian Army is also making efforts to contain other vices that constitute threats to national security.”

Buratai also affirmed the improvements in modalities adopted in the payment of operations allowance of troops of operation Lafiya Dole saying;”the ingenuity of establishing dedicated data base for troops in operations and the adoption of a special payment portal by the Nigerian Army Finance Corps has succeeded in solving the herculean challenges associated with payments of operations allowance in the past.”

Also  Dr. Alexander Anfofum of the Departmentsof Economic, Faculty of Arts and social Sciences, Nigerian defence Academy, Kaduna, themed;”Funding The Nigerian  Army to Effectively Counter Threats  to National Security,” stressed that funding of the Army would hekp sustain peace and address threats to national security.

According to him;”Allocation of funds to an organisation commences with a macro survey of the Nigerian economy and the central government fiscal situation . Funds allocated to effectively counter threats are not exception.”

He, however noted that despite the importance of this, the  military’s budget allocation have never been growth oriented  noting that even when efforts are made to develop defence industry and modernization of the military capabilities, the funding does not in any way contribute or improve the quality of lives of citizens either in the North-east or other parts of the country.

“More disturbing is the continuous increase in funds allocation which has not only proven to be critically deficient in Nigerian Army’s preparedness to counter threats but heightened the growing threats and national security challenges facing th country and her ever growing responsibilities as a regional power. Funds allocation to the military sector in Nigeria crowds out investment and civilian consumption, this indicates that funds that are Army hardwareand defence equipment cannot be used for building hospitals, schools and construction of roads and dams or provide civillian goods.”

Anfofum pointed out that although, funding the military is both reflective of the military sector preparedness to counter threats, improve national security and economy but threats to national security remains a major bane to the successes so far recorded bybthe present administration.

He suggested that allocation of funds to the Nigerian Army should not only increase but considered necessary public good that all Nigerians should benefit through protection of lives and properties.

While clarifying military budget allocation, he shed more light on issues and misconceotions surrounding spendings in the military, he said just like a budget reflects an estimate of likely costs, revenues and resources over a specified time frame ,military budgets also provides plan of actions for attaining quantified goals and yardsticks for measuring performances.

According to him, this implies that funding the militaryto counter all forms of threats to national security is an activity that is measurable considering the goals and objectives of fiscal estimates.

“Budgetary allocations of defence sector, are usually recorded as capital and recurrent expenditures. Capital expenditures involve capital projects on defence, military industrial coorporations, purchase of arms and ammunitions, training, researches and development necessary to counter terrorism and other forms of threat to national security. whereas , recurrent expenditure in this study is narrowed to the scope of personnel costs and the provisoion of honourarium and stipends to officers and men that are drafted to military operations.

“Military budget allocation is all expenditures whether by defence or other departments for the maintenance of military force. This include the purchase of military supplies and equipments, military construction, recruiting, training ,equipping,transportation, feeding, clothing and housing and housing members of the armed forces, providing medical care, retiree benefits and pensions.”