Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to exempt members of the Armed Forces from paying tolls at airports, sea ports and railway stations across the country.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Abdussammad Dasuki, calling for an exemption of members of the Armed Forces from paying tolls at the airports.
Dasuki, in the motion, informed the House that the Federal Executive Council (FEC), last week, approved the cancellation of exemption on airport tolls for very important persons in the country, as a result of huge revenue losses to the government.
The lawmaker said there was a need to exempt the members of the Armed Forces from paying the tolls as a mark of honour for the untiring efforts to keep the country safe.
According to him, “men and women of the Armed Forces honour our nation with the highest form of service and without reservation; keeping us safe from harm, protecting our wealth and territorial integrity, ensuring safe navigation on our territorial waters, protecting our borders, including the Gulf of Guinea, Creeks, Sahara Desert and forests, and fighting armed bandits who invade our communities.
“It is important to show gratitude by honouring our brothers and sisters who are voluntarily serving under our flag, putting in their active years to keep our nation safe with some losing their lives, and some becoming disabled from the battlefield amidst other effects.
“Honouring these men and women in uniform, and also encouraging fellow citizens to acknowledge their service to the nation is the right step to take as a way to appreciate the immeasurable sacrifices they make.
“Honouring those who fight for our survival, will also inspire our youths to enrol in the military not as a means of escaping the web of unemployment, but as a valuable call to higher service to the nation.”
Dasuki added that though the members of the Armed Forces are remunerated, their services cannot be quantified, especially “when the risks to them and their dependents are considered.”
Consequently, he said the country should not be hesitant “to show them in our little way that we see them and we acknowledge their sacrifices.
“Unless we are intentional in showing our appreciation to them by extending privileges like the proposed exemption, our nation would appear to underrate their services and lack knowledge of the value that they bring.”
