Major General John Enenche wey retire don talk say Nigerian soldiers need better pay. According to am, di minimum salary for soldier must be N250,000 evri month. E say di current pay no match di economic situation for di kontri.
Di issue of poor pay for soldiers come up again afta Minister of Defence, Gen Chris Musa wey retire, tok say salary don increase from N49,000 to N100,000. But Enenche say dat one no enough. Di minister don yarn for interview wit News Central say dem try dia best to raise am.
Daily Trust take look di matter well well. Dem compare wetin Nigerian soldiers dey earn wit wetin odas for Africa dey collect. Di new N100,000 minimum for Nigerian soldiers short pass wetin soldiers for some African kontris dey take. For example, South African National Defence Force soldiers dey earn more. Even for West Africa, our neighbours dey pay better. Like Niger Republic soldiers dey get about N526,962 per month, Benin Republic about N661,892, Senegal about N547,000, and Cameroon about N803,046.
Enenche yarn for ARISE TV on Sunday say di proposed N250,000 should be di baseline to help soldiers meet basic needs. E say, “For me, a Nigerian soldier from the base shouldn’t be paid anything less than N250,000 per month.” E argue say cost of living don high well well. Transport for Abuja fit cost between N1,000 and N2,000 for one trip.
Di retired general also say make nobody think say government accommodation, uniform, or gun dey compensate for low pay. E say soldiers dey make unique sacrifices. “A soldier is somebody that has sacrificed all. You have bought his time. A soldier is not a mercenary. So how can he go and buy his gun?”
Enenche stress say soldiers dey on duty all di time. Dem no fit run side business or farm to add money because military service no allow am. Di call come as serving and retired military personnel don complain about di way soldiers’ salary no fit buy wetin dem need. Security experts don talk say better pay go improve morale, professionalism, and how soldiers dey work, especially as Nigerian forces dey fight insurgency, banditry, and oda security problems for di kontri.
