Francis Etuko, Abuja
The Chairman Senate Committee on Army has lamented that the poor release of funds to cash back the budget of the Nigerian Army was hampering operations of the army which is actively involved in various Operations in thirty two states across the country.
Speaking when the senate committe on Army received the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Planning, LT Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, Senator Ndume said only 38% of the budget was so far released for the 2020 fiscal year. According to him the capital component of the army budget has only enjoyed 64% release , stressing that 50% of the Budget was released in July while the second batch only got released this week.
He said ,” The whole of Nigerian Army budget is 1.3 billion dollars which is at the level of countries like Niger, Sudan and other poor countries”
” In a period of war when the country is planning to spend thirteen trillion naira less than thirty billion naira of that amount is meant for the army and there is no guarantee that the money would be released 100 % to them” he said
A very emotional Ndume said it was lamentable that the difference between the Nigerian Army and Boko Haram fighters is that the army in Nigeria wears uniform, but in terms of arms the Insurgents are better equipped because they move around with the latest AK 49 .
He said ” We are advocating for the speedy release of the army budget so that they can immediately proceed to buy their equipments, that’s the Position of the committee” Ndume stressed .
Ndume was emphatic that the committee is on the same page with the Executive and in agreement that the budget of the Nigerian Army was grossly inadequate
