Fred Itua, Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai, yesterday, told members of the Senate Committee on Army that poor funding was inhibiting the army from tackling security challenges posed by Boko Haram insurgents.
The COAS told senators that lack of resources was stalling the operations of the army in tackling other security challenges in different parts of the country. He stated this when he appeared before the committee to defend the 2018 budget of the Nigerian Army.
Buratai said most security challenges could have been nipped in the bud if needed fund were made available. The army chief, who welcomed the suggestion by the committee that the army and other security agencies should be placed on first line charge, said: “The first line charge advocacy is very important.”
He noted that he welcomed release of their budgetary allocation in line with the first line charge advocacy. On the budget, he said that the Budget and National Planning office gave them N233.05 billion, while they requested for N261.67 billion.
Some projects he listed included procurement of drones and an aerial reconnaissance centre, N2.5 billion; rehabilitation of barracks, N5 billion; procurement of arms and ammunition, N4.8 billion; funds for three additional divisions and new operational activation, each N1.5 billion; totalling N4.5 billion.
He assured the Senate that the Nigerian Army was committed to the protection of the territorial integrity of the country and noted that they were working to clear the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents. He also said that they would remain obedient to civil authority at all times.
Chairman of the committee, George Akume, said it was obvious that the army did well within the context of the amount released to it. Akume said they believed that, when funds are released, the money should be used in the interest of the country. Sen. Akume, former governor of Benue State, told his colleagues that the meeting would be brief because “the COAS will be rushing to the North East to handle the issue of those who do not want us to rest.”
Vice chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Abdullahi Danbaba, said it was wrong for the Federal Government not to release budgeted funds. He said findings showed that only 42 per cent of the overhead of 2017 was released.
He said: “ You have to make a realistic budget. You cannot make a budget for 12 months and only three months will be implemented. This means that something was wrong.
It means that the planners of the budget did not do their homework. We will engage the executive to ensure that budgets are implemented.”