Di Federal Government don announce plan for new pay rise for military personnel as part of di ongoing efforts to make dem welfare better, boost morale, and strengthen di country security architecture. Di minister of defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), wey don retire, tok am while e dey deliver keynote address at one-day training and financial empowerment workshop for widows and wives of service personnel wey dey serve for theatres of operation. Di event na di Ministry of Defence organise, with help from di Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) for Abuja.
Di federal government don step up efforts for recent months to tackle insurgency, banditry, and other violent crimes through expanded military operations, force restructuring, and more investment for security assets. As part of di strategy, President Bola Tinubu recently approve di establishment of four new Nigerian Army divisions, wey expand di Army from eight to 12 divisions. Di new formations na 5 Division, Makurdi, wey go cover Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; 9 Division, Ilorin, wey go cover Kwara and Niger states; 10 Division, Jalingo, wey go cover Taraba and Adamawa states; and 83 Division, Benin City, wey go cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states. Dis expansion go help make dem respond faster, increase military presence for vulnerable areas, and make counterinsurgency and internal security operations better.
Di government don also continue to establish new brigades, battalions, forward operating bases, and barracks for strategic locations, especially for North-east and North-west, to support operations against Boko Haram, ISWAP, bandits, and other armed groups. Plus, dem don continue to buy military hardware, like attack helicopters, armoured personnel carriers, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, artillery systems, surveillance drones, and other intelligence-gathering equipment to make di armed forces more effective. Di army also set to recruit additional 28,000 personnel to strengthen di manpower, while dem don increase funding for training, logistics, and troop welfare, as part of di government strategy to restore security, reclaim occupied communities, and create conditions for economic and social development for affected regions.
For di event, General Musa talk say, “When I was Chief of the Defence Staff, our soldiers were receiving N49,000. Two years ago, I made efforts to have it increased to N100,000, and that was achieved. We are, however, still making efforts for it to be increased further. We know our president is a listening father who will ensure that our troops are well remunerated because they are sacrificing so much. I am confident that Mr President will soon announce another increase in the salaries of our personnel. So, we should continue to pray for our president, our leaders, and our troops on the front line.” According to am, through di Renewed Hope Agenda, di president don continue to implement policies wey promote enterprise development, strengthen skills acquisition, and broaden access to economic opportunities. “His firm belief that entrepreneurs are the engine of economic growth continues to inspire programmes that enable Nigerians to build sustainable businesses and improve their quality of life,” e explain. Di minister present cheque for N250 million to di beneficiaries of di capacity-building programme.
Earlier, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Charles Odii, pledge di government continued support for widows and spouses of frontline troops. E tok say, “To our men on the battlefield protecting Nigeria, we want you to know that we appreciate your sacrifice. We will continue to support your wives and spouses by empowering them to become entrepreneurs who can sustain their families while you defend the nation. We appreciate your service and will ensure that your sacrifices are not in vain.” Odii also reveal say one of Tinubu early interventions na di allocation of N200 billion to support enterprises across Nigeria, wey include N75 billion for single-digit interest loans for manufacturers, N75 billion for small businesses, and N50 billion for grants for nano businesses. E explain say nano businesses na enterprises with fewer than three employees and annual turnover of less than N3 million.
