House of Representatives advocates improved welfare for troops

House of Representatives is advocating improved welfare for troops and effective delivery of welfare packages across the ranks.

The position of the lawmakers was made known during plenary at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in Abuja, following the consideration of the findings and recommendations of a report of the House Committee on Army.

Three hundred and fifty-six troops of the Nigerian Army were reported to have resigned from the service in July 2020, a development that sparked controversy from various quarters.

The soldiers were said to have tendered their resignations at the time because they had lost interest in the job, due to poor welfare and claims that the army was not well equipped to battle insurgents.

This caught the attention of the lawmakers who deliberated on the matter and mandated the House Committee on Army to carry out a thorough investigation on July 14, 2020.

Seven months after the directive, the committee submitted its report after concluding its investigation into the mass resignation of the soldiers.

Chairman of the committee, Abdulrazak Namdas, said such resignations occurred almost annually in the military, calling for better motivation packages to enable personnel to defend Nigeria’s territory and overcome security threats – home or abroad.