Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno North, has called on the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Olufemi Oluyede, and other service chiefs to make the welfare and pay of troops their top priority.
Ndume made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja shortly after President Bola Tinubu decorated the new service chiefs with their ranks. He said improved welfare and regular funding for military personnel were essential to sustain the ongoing fight against terrorism, banditry, and other security threats across the country.
The lawmaker, who is the former Chief Whip of the Senate, said better living conditions and adequate pay would boost the morale of soldiers on the frontline and enhance their effectiveness.
“The welfare and remuneration of troops must come first,” Ndume said. “The annual budget of the Armed Forces and other security agencies should be on the First Line Charge. It should not be left to discretion. It must be front-loaded to ensure smooth operations.”
The senator decried the poor pay structure of Nigerian troops compared to their counterparts in other African countries, describing the current situation as “unacceptable.”
According to him, Nigerian soldiers face greater operational demands, yet earn significantly less than those serving in other nations.
“In Ghana, the entry-level pay for a private soldier is about N180,000 per month; in South Africa, it starts at about N250,000,” Ndume explained. “In Egypt, junior enlisted officers earn between N230,000 and N280,000 monthly, while in Kenya, a private earns about N200,000, excluding operational allowances.
“But in Nigeria, the average private soldier earns far less, even though they are deployed more frequently and face tougher conditions. This must change if we want to motivate them.”
Ndume, who has been vocal on security issues, said many soldiers working in conflict zones like the North-East and North-West operate under extreme conditions, often with inadequate logistics, delayed allowances, and insufficient equipment.
He warned that continued neglect of troop welfare could affect morale and slow down military operations against insurgents and bandits.
Ndume’s comments came shortly after President Tinubu decorated the new service chiefs, urging them to restore lasting peace to the country and end the insecurity that has lingered since 2009.
The President had promised full support for the Armed Forces and called for innovation, discipline, and patriotism among the newly appointed military leaders.
The senator noted that the welfare of military personnel must form a key part of the administration’s broader security reforms.
Ndume urged the Federal Government to make defence funding a compulsory expenditure item through the First Line Charge, similar to how statutory agencies like the judiciary and the National Assembly are funded.
“Our Armed Forces should not have to depend on unpredictable releases from the budget,” he said. “If we expect them to give their best and risk their lives daily, then their welfare and funding must be guaranteed.”
He argued that predictable and well-funded defence spending would help the military plan operations better and improve discipline, logistics, and equipment maintenance.
The lawmaker, who hails from Borno State — one of the regions worst affected by Boko Haram insurgency — said the sacrifices of Nigerian soldiers deserve better recognition and compensation.
“These are men and women who leave their families behind to defend our country. Some pay the ultimate price. The least we can do is ensure they are well cared for,” he said.
Ndume also called on the National Assembly to support measures that would institutionalize better welfare for troops, noting that security is too important to be left to chance.
He appealed to the new service chiefs to make troop welfare their first task, alongside improving intelligence, modernising equipment, and maintaining discipline in the ranks.
“When soldiers are well-fed, well-paid, and well-equipped, they fight with more commitment,” he concluded. “That is the only way we can win this war and secure our nation.”
