Reps pass bill on Armed Forces Support Fund second reading

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill for an Act to provide special financing and modern equipment for the armed forces.

The bill which seeks to establish a five-year support fund for the armed forces was sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Defence, Rep. Babajimi Benson (APC/Lagos) and six other House members.

Leading debate on the bill, Rep. Benson said his committee has visited battlefields and met with service chiefs in recent times and it is certain that Nigeria is at war and that unfortunately Nigeria lacks the basic modern equipment to prosecute the war.

He said that the fund, when established would be managed by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), oil companies and some very reputable Nigerians, disclosing that the fund would be raised through money accruing from annual fund raising from time to time as determine by the board.

“It shall be used for continuous training and acquisition of knowledge and skills by personnel of Nigerian Armed Forces all over the world for improved proficiency in the use of modern operational equipment among others,” the lawmaker said.

Supporting the bill, Rep. Mohammed Munguno (APC/Borno) said that there is nowhere in the world where the armed forces are funded through regular budget.

Rep. Nasir Ahmed (APC/Kano), corroborated this claim, saying that contributions to the fund should start from members of the who should contribute a percentage of their monthly salaries to the fund to support the armed forces.

Rep. Oghene Egho (APC/Lagos) said that the military has often claimed that the Boko insurgents have been technically defeated and that it is just a matter of time for the insurgency to end.

“Have they been telling us lies? Why are we now giving them more money? $1 billion was given to them to fight insurgency and up until now, we are still facing insecurity. The money this bill is intending to give armed forces in too much,” he said. 

Rep. Luke Onofiok (PDP/Akwa Ibom) urged the House to amend the Armed Forces Act for enhanced funding rather than creating a new law, adding however, that the idea of the fund is noble, but adequately funding can be done without creating a new law. 

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, in his ruling referred the bill to the House Committee on Defence for further legislative action.