By – Abba Hamisu Sani
Africa-Press – Nigeria. Nigeria has various security challenges that makes life difficult for millions of citizens.These security challenges include Boko Haram insurgency,banditry , Kidnapping for ransom,Niger Delta uprising and Indigenous People of Biafra activities in the South East.
IIt is worth noting that the 2024 budget appropriation has increased the security and defense sectors budget by 46.39 percent compared to 2023 budget.3.25 trillion Naira (4,111,321,825.00 dollars) is allocated for 2024 while 2023 appropriation was 2.22 trillion Naira(2,808,349,062.00 dollars).
While presenting the budget to the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday 29th 2023 President Bola Tinubu stated that the budget proposal of 27 .5 trillion Naira for the 2024 fiscal year would cement macroeconomic stability,reduce the deficit ,and increase capital spending and allocation to reflect the eight priority areas of his administration.
Defense,Health and Education get a bigger share
Abubakar Bagudu is the Minister of Budget and National planning.He said with a crude oil benchmark price of 77.96 dollars per barrels and an output of 1.8 million barrels per day,the budget focuses on critical sectors such as defense and Security ,healthcare,educational and infrastructure.
” 3.25 trillion Naira has been allocated to the defense and security sector, representing 11.8 percent of the national budget. Out of the 27.5 trillion Naira, 1.32 trillion Naira was earmarked for infrastructure projects, accounting for 4.83 percent of the budget.” The Minister of Budget and National Planning emphasized.
Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu is the former spokesperson of the Nigeria Air Force.He said the issue of high budget appropriation is not what matters as the previous administrations earmarked high percentage of their budget to the security sector but the releasing of such fund is what matters as the situation makes the sector unchanged.
The former Air Force spokesperson also lamented some of the issues that need to be addressed such as regular invitation of the Service Chiefs by the House of Assembly which ,he said affect their performance as there is need to attend different assignments including supervisions of men and offices in the fields.
Group Captain Garba stated this in an interview with Arise News recently Sadeeq Shehu also said that, the National Assembly should streamline the budget to see how much is allocated for the operation, Capital expenditure, and the over cost to ensure that, the right funds are appropriated for each aspect.
“If the seventy percent of the budget is for over cost,definitely you know, you are doing something wrong which the National Assembly and the Executive arm have to take the blamed”. He added that “it is not all the money seen on paper that get to the Military” Sadeeq Shehu Stated.
Detective Auwal Bala Durumin Iya is an analyst on security matters. He said the main issue that is affecting the security architecture of Nigeria is Corruption and lack of Accountability as the amount allocated in 2024 is enough to handle the security matters of the nation.
“The money is enough for their operation, and all other aspects of their expenditure,” Auwal Bala said.
He also emphasizes the importance of the Federal Government employing private Investigators to regularly investigate the financial activities of security agencies including the Military to ensure the Judicious use of the allocated funds.
The oversight of the National Assembly members can not understand the Military activities as security matters are described as invisible”Auwal said.
Detective Auwal Durumin Iya shared the view of the former Nigeria Air Force spokesperson retired Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu about low releases of the appropriated funds to the Military and other security agencies.
Detective Auwal decried the manner government releases funds to the security Agencies ,as he attributed to the poor services delivered by the security apparatus .
He also Blamed the Senior security officers for miss appropriating the resources mainly for the welfare of the personnel and the purchase of equipment.
The analyst emphasized on the importance of accountability and patriotism in managing the security sector budgets and expenditures
However, at this point ,Tinubu’s administration expressed willingness to improve the country’s Security through increasing the allocation in the 2024 budget.
So there is a need for the administration to ensure timely release of the appropriated funds to the Security agencies and Military in order to address the multiple security challenges bedeviling the Country.
Also, the National Assembly should perform its role of oversight function to ensure the funds released to the security sectors are utilized judiciously to avoid mismanagement.
On the corruption allegation, Anti-graft agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes(/ Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC) should perform their duties by investigating and prosecuting any official found in shabby practices within the security Architecture of Nigeria.
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