The Presidency has approved N134.7 billion for the payment of Security Debarment Allowance to all military veterans.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who revealed this at the launch of the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem and Appeal fund, also announced the donation of N10 million to the Nigerian Legion, on behalf of the Federal Government.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports the inauguration of the Emblem Appeal fund preceded the meeting of the Federal Executive Council.
Buhari pledged the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of veterans by ensuring prompt payment of their pension and other entitlements, which had been demonstrated by his approval of the payment of SDA to veterans with effect from 2017.
“However, in order to capture all veterans hitherto excluded from the payment of the SDA, I have approved a review of the effective date of the Manual of Financial Administration for the Armed Forces of Nigeria 2017.
“Accordingly, I have also approved the sum of N134,749,953,243.69 only for that purpose,” he said.
President Buhari also expressed delight that the Defence Health Maintenance Limited was living up to expectation in providing healthcare services to the veterans, noting the expansion of the reach of their services through the establishment of Zonal and State offices.
He promised that government would continue to prioritise the provision of quality healthcare services to veterans and citizens at large.
The president also commended the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces in confronting banditry, kidnappings, molestations and killing of innocent citizens head-on, saying that these “vices alien to our culture” are on the decline.
According to him, normalcy is gradually returning to some affected parts of the country due to the methodical approach and increasing military campaign to decimate subversive elements involved in destructive activities, such as “in the insurgency in North East, militancy in the Niger Delta”.
He also lauded the efforts of the military in addressing ethnic and religious tensions in some communities.
He assured Nigerians that the federal government would continue to reposition and strengthen all security agencies to enable them surmount the security challenges in the country.
The president called on business enterprises to appreciate the sacrifice of servicemen and gallant troops by extending support to them in form of discounts and rebates upon purchases and services rendered.
This, he said, would act as a morale booster to members of the Armed Forces and assist them in carrying out their statutory responsibilities.