…Approves report on resignation of 365 soldiers
The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Nigerian Army to improve on the welfare of soldiers, especially those on the battlefields or engaged in combat operations.
It noted that improving the welfare of the soldiers would make them be more committed to their work and service to the nation.
The House also stated that this would reduce the growing resignation of soldiers on a yearly basis from service.
The recommendations were contained in the report of the House Committee on Army, which investigated the “purported Voluntary Resignation of over Three Hundred and Sixty-Five (365) Soldiers” from service.
The committee, which is chaired by Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, was mandated by the Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, in July 2020 to conduct the investigation.
Giving the synopsis of the report of the committee in plenary on Tuesday, Namdas, an All Progressives Congress member from Ganye/Jada/Mayo-Belwa/Toungo Federal Constituency in Adamawa State, said the committee discovered that yearly resignation from the army was now common.
He disclosed that over 600 soldiers resigned from the army in the extant case that was investigated, adding that the cause was mainly welfare issues.
According to Namdas, the law allows soldiers to resign voluntarily from service after serving for 10 years, an option many soldiers take to exit service lately.
However, the committee recommended that an improvement in welfare could stem the tide of resignations.
The House considered and approved the recommendations of the committee thus:
“That the Nigerian Army should improve on the welfare of its personnel, especially those in battlefields or other combat operations to further make the Soldiers more committed to their jobs and to the nation at large;
“That there should be effective monitoring or follow up in the delivery of the welfare packages in all the Army formations to ensure that they reach out to all the beneficiaries (the soldiers) in a fair and equitable manner;
“That the Army should continuously embark on orientation of soldiers, both old and new, about the reality of their jobs and the need to be committed to their country. This will reduce the number of soldiers leaving the Army due to loss of interest.”
