Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai on Wednesday kicked against Federal Government’s envelope allocation of N232.4 billion in the 2019 Appropriation bill being considered by the House of Representatives.
Buratai who frowned at the insensitivity of the Nigerian authorities to the enormous task ahead of the Nigerian Army amidst the security challenges facing the country appealed to the House Committee on Army to jettison the proposal submitted by the Presidency.
According to him, for the 2019 fiscal year, the sum of N350.5 billion was proposed Personnel Emolument; N43.6 billion for Overhead while N78.5bn was proposed for Capital expenditure.
“The National Assembly should prevail on the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to exempt the Nigerian Army from the existing budget ceiling or envelope allocation system in view of the ongoing structural changes, volatile security environment and massive engagement of troops in virtually all the 36 states of the Federation.”
The Army Chief noted that the Nigerian Army has for years grappled with fund insufficiency and has remained resilient but dedicated to the discharge of its constitutional roles. He noted that the Nigerian Army was able to cope with the financial constraints due to the relatively peaceful environment across the country prior to the re-emergence of insurgency and other hostile activities of Violent Non-State Actors.
Buratai informed that in a bid to effectively tackle the issue of insecurity around the country, the Nigeria Army has increased its divisions from five to eight, and established Nigerian Army Special Forces Command, Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Special Intelligence Command, Land Forces Simulation Centre and Nigerian Army Aviation, regardless of inadequate allocation.
“Please, recall that since the beginning of 2015, the activities of the Violent Non-State Actors have exacerbated in various regions across our dear country. In response to these, the Nigerian Army has expanded from 5 Divisions to 8 Divisions and is currently engaged in the war against Boko Haram Terrorists and Internal Security operations in virtually all the 36 states of the Federation.
“It is also pertinent to note that the Nigerian Army has established Nigerian Army Special Forces Command, Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Special Intelligence Command, Land Forces Simulation Centre and Nigerian Army Aviation amongst others. These commitments, have extended our core constitutional role, and have impacted significantly on our human and material assets. This is in addition to inadequate budget allocation and the subsisting envelope budget system.
On the performance of the 2018 budget, the army chief informed that “the percentage performance of Nigerian Army Budget Personnel Emolument was 100 percent, Overhead was 100 percent and Capital was 91.69 percent. It is in the light of this that I make bold to say that the budget has performed reasonably well.”
On the 2019 budget, Buratai said that while it requested for the sum of N472.8 billion, the Ministry of Budget and National Planning proposed the total sum of N232.4 billion only.
He consequently prayed the committee to approve the following in the 2019 budget: “the sum of N350.5 billion should be approved for Nigerian Army Personnel Emolument; the sum of N43.6 billion should be approved for Overhead Budget; the sum of N78.5 billion should be approved for Capital Budget.
Additionally, Buratai urged the lawmakers to change the 40 percent second installment payment for the purchase of 3 x LUH AS-350 for Nigerian Army Aviation with the procurement of Armoured Personnel Carrier ‘A’ Vehicles.
The Army Chief pledged the commitment of the Nigerian Army toward “securing the territorial integrity of Nigeria from any violation and the timely and complete implementation of 2019 Budget Will thus enhance the fulfillment of this mandate.”
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