Don’t Cut Army Budget, Buratai Appeals to Lawmakers | Nairalaw

The Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf
Buratai, Wednesday made a passionate plea to the National Assembly
to prevail on the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to
exempt the Nigerian Army from existing budget ceiling or envelope
allocation system so as to be able to sustain the fight against
insurgents across Nigeria.

Buratai, who made the call when he presented the Nigerian Army
2018 budget performance appraisal and the 2019 budget defence
before the Hon. Rimande Shawulu-led House of Representative
Committee on Army, said this is necessary in view of the on-going
structural changes, volatile security environment and massive
engagement of troops in virtually all the 36 states of the
federation.

The army chief said in 2018, the percentage performance of the
Nigerian Army budget personnel emolument was 100 per cent, overhead
was 100 pe rcent and capital was 91.69 per cent, adding that: “It
is in the light of this that I make bold to say that the budget has
performed reasonably well.”

In preparing the 2019 budget, he noted that: “The Nigerian Army
is requesting for the sum of N472.8 billion. However, the Ministry
of Budget and National Planning proposed the total sum of N232.4
billion only.”

In a breakdown of the fund required, Buratai said the sum of
N350.5 billion should be approved for Nigerian Army personnel
emolument in the 2019 Budget, the sum of N43.6 billion should be
approved for 2019 Army overhead budget and that the sum of N78.5
billion should be approved for capital budget.

“The National Assembly should change the 40 per cent second
installment payment for purchase of 3 x LUH AS-350 for NA Aviation
with the procurement of Armoured Personnel Carrier ‘A’
vehicles.

“The National Assembly should prevail on the Ministry of Budget
and National Planning to exempt the Nigerian Army from the existing
budget ceiling or envelope allocation system in view of the
on-going structural changes, volatile security environment and
massive engagement of troops in virtually all the 36 states of the
federation,” Buratai urged.

According to him, “The Nigerian Army has for years grappled with
fund insufficiency. However it has remained resilient and ever
dedicated to the discharge of its constitutional roles. It was able
to cope with the financial constraints due to the relative peaceful
environment across the country prior to the re-emergence of
insurgency and other hostile activities of Violent Non-State
Actors.

“You may recall that since the beginning of 2015, the activities
of the violent non-state actors have exacerbated in various regions
across our dear country. In response to these, the Nigerian Army
has expanded from five Divisions to eight Divisions and is
currently engaged in war against Boko Haram terrorists and internal
security operations in virtually all the 36 states of the
federation.”

He said in the bid to adequately curtail the perpetrators of
violence, the Nigerian Army established the Nigerian Army Special
Forces Command, Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Special
Intelligence Command, Land Forces Simulation Centre and Nigerian
Army Aviation, amongst others.

“These commitments have extended our core constitutional role,
and have impacted significantly on our human and material assets.
This is in addition to inadequate budget allocation and the
subsisting envelope budget system,” he noted.

He reassured Nigerians that the Nigerian Army is committed to
securing the territorial integrity of the country from any
violation, stressing that: “The clearance operation to rid our
country of the remnant of Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal
groups are currently ongoing.

“The timely and complete implementation of 2019 budget will thus
enhance the fulfillment of this mandate.”