The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said Nigeria is at war against insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and all manner of insecurity.
He also said record has shown that only nine percent of the total budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Armed Forces is spent on equipment.
Gbajabiamila made this known at a public hearing on the Armed Forces Support Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, organised by the House Committee on Defence on Monday in Abuja.
Gbajabiamila said that appropriation records show that about 91 percent of the current funding of the Armed Forces is spent on recurrent overhead, salaries and welfare.
“This bill seeks to provide an injection of additional capital funding for the Armed Forces of Nigeria at a crucial time in our nation.
“I am sure many of you will wonder why the Armed Forces of Nigeria need an additional financial injection at this time.
“The fact based on appropriation records is that about 91 percent of the current funding to the Armed Forces go on recurrent overhead, salaries and welfare, leaving only nine percent for capital purchases.
“This reality has prompted this 9th House of Representatives to seek a way of providing funds that will be focused on the capital needs and training of our Armed Forces,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said that the importance of the bill is evidenced by the dwindling resources available to the Armed Forces of Nigeria to prosecute the various security operations it is involved in.
According to him, this requires innovative ideas to raise additional funds without placing any burden on Nigerians, in support of the Nigerian military.
