This is to urge the federal government to tap into the wealth of experience of Nigerian veterans to serve as the nation’s military reserves for combating the many security challenges in terms of insurgency and terrorism.
There is also the need for proper funding of the Nigerian Legion through budgetary allocation to enable it to discharge its mandate which, among other responsibilities, is to cater for the welfare of veterans and their dependents.
The provision of annual budgetary allocation or subvention from the government will go a long way in ameliorating the adverse financial challenges currently preventing the legion from fully discharging its mandate as set out by the act.
The act establishing the Nigerian Legion empowers it to establish farms, hotels, banks, petrol stations amongst many other business ventures.
It was envisaged that the profits from these ventures would be utilised in subsidising many welfare programmes for the veterans and their dependents but due to the starvation of funds many of the laudable ideas have remained ideas in name only and remained unactualised.
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The many benefits the military has enjoyed under this government are acknowledged. There has not been any government to our knowledge that has done more for the military than the Buhari-led administration.
Indeed, it is under this government that the military received many benefits including the harmonisation of military pension and review of terms and conditions of service of the military and, most recently, paid the Security Debarment Allowance (DVA) to veterans.
Nevertheless, a lot still needs to be done in alleviating the plight of veterans, widows and their dependents hence the call for immediate funding to the Nigerian Legion for the establishment of Trauma Centres in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria for diagnosis and treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Available empirical data has confirmed the increase of PTSD by military personnel exposed to combat missions. The types of trauma centres constructed would depend on available funds. It is hoped that at least one of the centres would be a level 1 trauma centre.
Consequently, following the recent launching of the Nigerian Legion website, we call on government and other departments and agencies to assist the legion in establishing data centres across the 36 state offices and FCT.
The data centres, once operational, will be able to provide reliable statistics for strategic planning and will readily provide the government with up-to-date figures of able-bodied men that can be called at short notice for combat operations.
This is necessary in order to assist the already over-stretched military in the many theatres they are currently engaged. The data will be able to provide details of age, specialization and location of able-bodied veterans at the press of a button.
The Nigerian military gave their today for our brighter tomorrow, this is an inalienable fact. Nigerian veterans should never be abandoned or left impoverished in their twilight years. Nigeria should not forget their sacrifices.
Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (rtd.) is the National Chairman, Nigeria Legion
