Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said on Monday that the current security challenges in the country has made it imperative for additional funding for the nation’s armed forces.
The Speaker said in time of war, no nation depend on annual appropriation to fund its armed forces, saying Nigeria was currently at war with insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and other criminal vices, hence the need for additional source of fund for the armed forces.
Speaking at a public hearing on a bill seeking to establish a special trust fund for the Armed Forces, the Speaker said the House is not unaware of the fact that the solution to the insecurity in the land will not be by military operations alone.
He said in realization of this, the House is planning a five-day special security summit on national security to take an All-Nation and All-Government approach by examining extensively non-military solutions to our insecurity, including challenges with food security, environmental changes, economic development, criminal justice reform, and other non-kinetic engagements.
He said “even with these extensive and wider examinations of our security challenges; we cannot exclude the need for and benefit of a well-equipped and better-trained military in the fight against all forms of insecurity.
“It is a historic fact that countries during war times do not fund their military through regular appropriation alone. From the USA to the United Kingdom and all Western powers; their military was funded through extra-budgetary means during periods of war.
“Nigeria is at war against insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and all manner of insecurity; hence the need to uplift the resources available to our Armed Services to enable them procures the best tools to help win this war. So, what we seek to do in this Bill is not new or unique to us as a nation.
“The solution to our security challenges requires asymmetric actions across many policy areas. This is what we have tried to do as the representatives of the people. The concept of a Trust fund already exists for the Nigerian Police.
“It only makes sense to also bolster our military capability as well through this unique vehicle. In this Bill; the Board of the Trust Fund is full of eminent Nigerians from all walks of life; this should give confidence to all of the depth of knowledge and experience that will be available to manage this fund. The National Assembly will equally play its part in over sighting this work of this Trust Fund.”
