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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede and other Service Chiefs to prioritise the welfare and motivation of military personnel through improved remuneration and consistent funding of the Armed Forces.
In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, Ndume congratulated the new Service Chiefs following their decoration by President Bola Tinubu and confirmation by the Senate on Wednesday.
The confirmed officers include Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), and Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff (CAS).
Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District and previously chaired the Senate Committee on Army, said the welfare of soldiers must be the cornerstone of the new military leadership’s agenda.
“I have identified four pillars that would make our military formidable at all times and keep security threats at abeyance. This is what I have tagged as TEAM. The first is training, second is equipment, ammunition and motivations, in that order,” he said.
The lawmaker emphasised that improved welfare and modern equipment remain essential to sustaining the morale of troops confronting insurgency, banditry, and other security threats nationwide.
Senator Ndume also called on the Tinubu administration to make the Armed Forces’ budget a first line charge, ensuring stable and predictable funding for defence operations.
“The annual budget of the Armed Forces and other security forces should be in the First Line Charge, and it shouldn’t be discretionary. They should be front-loaded,” he stated.
He argued that guaranteed funding would enhance operational planning, allow timely procurement of critical equipment, and ensure regular welfare payments to troops deployed across the country.
The lawmaker expressed concern over what he described as a “discouraging disparity” between the salaries of Nigerian soldiers and their counterparts in other African countries.
“In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is equivalent to about N180,000 per month; in South Africa, basic pay for enlisted personnel starts at about N250,000 monthly. In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn between N230,000 and N280,000 monthly, while in Kenya, a private earns about N200,000, excluding operational allowances,” Ndume noted.
He lamented that Nigerian soldiers earn significantly less, despite higher operational demands and frequent deployments.
“In Nigeria, the average private soldier earns far less despite being constantly deployed to multiple theatres of operation,” he said.
Ndume warned that stagnant pay, coupled with the rising cost of living, has affected morale, recruitment, and retention, particularly among troops deployed in high-risk zones.
“We must invest in those who sacrifice daily for our peace. A motivated soldier is a more effective defender of the nation,” he added.
