Army Chief Flays Reduction in 2022 Military Budget Size

• Wants exclusion from envelope budgeting
•  Senate committee seeks first line charge for military

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the reduction of its budget size from N710 billion it proposed to N579billion approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for the 2022 fiscal year.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt General Farouk Yahaya, who made the position of the Army known during the 2022 budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Army, declared that the reduction in the budgetary allocation to the Army will affect its operational efficiency.

He specifically asked the commitee to facilitate the exclusion of the Army and other military outfits from routine annual envelope budgeting system.

He said: “In preparing for year 2022 budget, the Nigerian Army (NA) proposed about the sum of N710 billion only.

“However, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning budget ceiling reduced it to a total sum of N579 billion only.

“This reduction would impede the capacity and tempo of the Nigerian Army in carrying out its constitutional duties, particularly the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists and other criminalities across the country.

“The detail of this request is contained in the Nigerian Army Year 2022 Budget Defence booklet earlier submitted to this distinguished committee.

“I therefore passionately appeal to this committee to impress it on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to begin the release of year 2022 Nigerian Army capital budget in the first quarter of 2022.

“This would help the Nigerian Army to rehabilitate dilapidated accommodations in over 138 barracks and training facilities across NA units/formations as well as procure the needed equipment and platforms to prosecute the war against terrorism and other criminalities across the country.”

Going into the basics of the budget proposal, the Army boss said the sum of N642.7 billion only should be approved for Nigerian Army Personnel Emolument for Year 2022 Budget, N29.6billion for overhead and N37.6 billion for 2022 capital projects.

He further stressed that the National Assembly should prevail on the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to exempt the Nigerian Army from the current budget ceiling or envelope allocation system.

The Army boss, however, added that despite the inadequate funding, the Nigerian Army remained committed to securing the territorial integrity of Nigeria from any violation, as the clearance operation to rid our country of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal groups are still ongoing.

“The timely and complete implementation of the year 2022 budget will thus enhance the fulfilment of the NA’s constitutional mandate and thus engender peace for socio-economic development of our country Nigeria,” he stressed.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the closed door session with the COAS, who led other senior military officers to the National Assembly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, agreed with Gen. Yahaya that the provision for the Army to combat insurgency and banditry was grossly inadequate.

He assured the COAS that his committee would seek audience with the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to ensure front loading of the fund meant for the Nigerian Army.

According to him, “We found out that what is given is quite inadequate. You can’t give them a ceiling when actually the security challenges is beyond the ceiling. There is no price tag for peace. The situation of putting them in an envelope under the situation we found ourselves don’t arise.

“We must give them the resources in order to prosecute this war and also have a well equipped army formations.

“We are also going to meet with the Minister of Finance to ensure front loading of their fund.

“We shall push for their exclusion from the system and inclusion in the first line charge.”