By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume has advocated allocation of more funds for the welfare of serving officers and men of the Nigeria Army .
Senator Ndume, made the call on Friday while speaking during the Senate Committee’s oversight visit to 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Odogbo Ibadan.
The Senate Committee Chairman pointed out that the visit was a constitutional responsibility to assess the recent developments at the various formations of the Nigerian Army as well as to see what the army formations have been doing with the money allocated to them.
Senator Ndume stressed that the visit was especially on the money allocated to the various formations of the Nigerian Army in the 2021 budget and the one proposed before the National Assembly for consideration.
“We want to always do what we know; that is to say, we cannot allocate without seeing or feeling the activities that are in the appropriation act for consideration ” he said
Senator Ndume maintained ” unfortunately, we lost some of the soldiers in the war front, leaving behind widows and children.The allowance the widows are receiving is not sustainable but when they acquire skills, they will be able to take care of themselves and their children. Even the acquisition centre will provide the skills necessary to substitute the income that those that are alive are receiving.”
The Senate Committee Chairman however lauded the 2 Division on the various projects inspected, saying, the ongoing construction of the skills acquisition centre at the 2 Division to train the wives of slain soldiers was commendable, as training the women to acquire skills would empower them and further complement the allowances being paid to them.
He emphasized that the oversight visit remains a constitutional responsibility given to the National Assembly for oversight and to see what the various military formations have done with the funds allocated to them, especially in 2021.
