As Nigeria marks 2023 armed forces remembrance day,
President Muhammadu Buhari and other relevant authorities have been urged to find creative ways of addressing the lingering concerns regarding the payment of Security Debarment Allowance, SDA, approved recently by the federal government.
A retired military officer, Major Komo Maryam Thomas who made the call while speaking to newsmen in Kaduna also called on both service and retired military officers to remain focus and stick to their calling.
Major Komo Thomas who is also a human rights activist said the President who approved the payment of the money knows its source and the importance of the funds to the well-being of the military, and wondered why the discrepancy in the payment.
She alleged that only partial payment had been made and warned that if not check would breed seed of discord in the military.
The army veteran said the debarment fund was not meant for any project or selected individuals but a special grant package donated by international donors as gratification towards improving the well-being of both serving and retired military officers of the Nigerian army, in recognition of their selfless service to the nation.
Komo who lamented
that the armed forces which supposed to remain apolitical in their activities is now being compromised and called on President Muhammad Buhari to intervene on the matter to ensure that justice is done to avoid politicizing the exercise.
According to Komo Mariam, if the public is not properly educated on the matter, the common man on the street will think it’s a budgeted money.
Recall that President Muhammad Buhari while launching the 2023 Armed Forces remembrance day emblem last November announced the approval of one hundred and thirty four point seven billion naira for the payment of security debarment allowance-SDA, to all veteran military officers with effect from 2017.
Daniel Karlmax