•Call for upward review
Soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East have lamented the delay in payment of their allowances.
Some of the soldiers who spoke to TheWhistler off-the-record on Tuesday also called for a review of the allowances to reflect the current economic realities of the country.
The allowances currently being paid to soldiers include: feeding 30,000; Habitat 6,000 and Operational 45,000.
The soldiers complained of delay in payment of their allowance and the dwindling value of the allowances which had not been reviewed for many years.
One of the soldiers said the allowances were often paid between 9th- 12th of every month in the past but now do not come until about 20th day of the month.
“We thought that 20th of every month would be the new date but to our greatest dismay, today is 23rd and nothing has
happened.
“In military, when things like this started showing their ugly face, something is likely to happen. We even made efforts to know the reason behind the delay but we were told by the F.O that he was yet to hear from the theatre commandant,” he said.
Another soldier corroborated the claim.
“We are not only complaining of the delay but also, it should be increased. We expect that since the insurgency war started in 2014, by now, there should be increment in allowances so as to boost our morale”.
They expressed fears that lives of soldiers on the frontline were not guaranteed, adding that if payments are delayed or allowances are meagre, it would affect their families negatively.
“Boko Haram strikes every moment and they can still strike our bases. If any soldier dies, who takes care of his family? Who sends his children to school? I believe the allowances given to us should come early as well be reviewed, ” another said.
Responding, the Director Army public Relations, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said that the delay could be as a result of the recent redeployment of some senior officers.
In his word: “Welfare of personnel is prime to the present Chief of Army Staff and that is why he intermittently visit the front line to boost the morale of his offices and men”.
He said the issue of allowances of soldiers in Northeast should be channeled to the theatre commandant.
“However I doubt if the allowances of the soldiers who are sacrificing their lives to the nation have not been paid,” he added.
