We are short of manpower, funding – Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, has revealed that the armed forces currently lack adequate manpower and funding to prosecute the terror war.
Magasi, while briefing State House Correspondents after the virtual Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, said this was part of the ministry’s presentation at the FEC meeting.
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He however assured that the challenge will soon be addressed.
The Ministry which coordinates the nation’s security operations, according to the Minister, received the assurances that the challenges will be tackled
According to him, “we spoke about our short comings. We talked about man power shortage, inadequate funding for the ministry of Defence. We talked about all the operations we have been conducting, the successes and failures of each of the operations right from Operation Lafia Dole to Operation Tawase.
“The shortcomings of each of the operations were discussed, and God so kind contributions were made by members of the council and I think in no distant time there will be a change in the conduct of our affairs in the Ministry of Defence.”
The Minister of Environment, Mohammad Abubakar, said he also presented the ministerial performance of report.
He said on Ogoni cleanup, the ministry is currently cleaning up 21 plus 36 sites impacted with hydrocarbon.
The minister said 775 jobs have been created in Ogoni clean with more on the way. He said there is a programme to train 400 women in areas agriculture, Aqua culture and poultry as way to improve the living standard of the people.
He said planting of 25 million trees is at the forefront in collaboration with the state governments.
Abubakar said out of 774,000 jobs that President Buhari approved to be created, the ministry of environment as one of the implementing agencies is to employ 200,000 skilled and unskilled labour, another 2000 through the erosion department. He said the ministry is also create jobs in the area of waste recycling that is reduce, reuse, repair and recover waste. According to him, “it is no longer fashionable to just produce, use and dispose because the planet is getting too choked up with pollutants. We are very big in recycling.
“Finally, we are big in erosion control which you all know is a big problem in the south East. As you know south East is more to erosion because of the geologic nature of the area.”
He said post COVID, the ministry is working to reduce the emission from carbon dioxide from generators and other gaseous emissions behind climate change. He said about 4,000 jobs will be created in this area, and their main mandate will be to keep tap on emissions including vehicular emissions.
The minister said the ministry is also targeting to create 32 jobs from recycling of engine oil from motorcycles and other vehicles to produce diesel, which can in turn be reused.
On the green bond project, which is to produce clean energy, he said the proceeds will be used to produce solar energy for tertiary institutions. He said already 20,000 jobs has been created.
