By John Alechenu
ABUJA: Ex-Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has advocated for the inclusion of the military, especially the Army, in the first line charge in Nigeria’s budget to ease the funding challenge.
Ndume also charged the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede and the three other Service Chiefs, to make a case for better remuneration and enhanced training for military personnel in order to boost morale.
The federal lawmaker gave the advice in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
Ndume said, “I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats at abeyance. This is what I have tagged as TEAM.
“The first is Training, second is Equipment, Ammunitions and Motivations– in that order.”
The lawmaker also advocated that the present administration should ensure that the military budget be accorded priority by being placed in the First Line Charge.
“The annual budget of the Armed Forces and Other Security forces should be in the First Line Charge and it shouldn’t be discretionary. They should be front-loaded.”
While speaking on improved welfare for troops, Ndume explained that the salaries and allowances of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces pale into insignificance when compared with that of their counterparts across Africa.
He said, “In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is equivalent to about ₦180,000 per month; in South Africa, the basic pay for enlisted personnel starts at about ₦250,000 monthly (converted).
“In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn the equivalent of ₦230,000–₦280,000 monthly, and in Kenya, a private earns about ₦200,000, excluding operational allowances.
“In Nigeria, the average private soldier earns significantly less despite higher deployment frequency and operational demands.
“The current remuneration and minimum entry-level wage for many personnel across these services have been outpaced by rising living costs, with knock-on effects on morale, recruitment, retention, and operational effectiveness—particularly for personnel deployed in high-risk theatres and remote locations.”
President Bola Tinubu recently promoted and swore in Lt. General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.
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