Military veterans in the country have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the approval of bulk payment of the balance of security debarment allowance, SDA, to all veterans, using equal and equitable payment templates for all, regardless of retirement year.
Aside from bulk payment, President Tinubu was also called upon to ensure that the approved SDA fund was augmented to be able to pay all veterans, using the new salary scale currently being implemented in the country
Recall that the payment of SDA to veterans had been one of the issues of recent agitations by retired military veterans across the country, with threats of protests but which the Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, has assured would be addressed.
His assurance resulted in the setting up of a Military Veterans Welfare Committee for a review of the SDA.
Chairman of the committee, Air Commodore Isaac Olufemi Oguntuyi, retd, who made the call at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, said there was need for an upward review of salaries and pensions of serving and retired personnel of the armed forces of Nigeria .
He noted that a situation where a private soldier and equivalent who had signed to put his life on the line and die for the country was being paid less than N60,000 a month does not look befitting.
Consequently, he said: “Salaries and pension payments should be reviewed periodically to conform to inflationary trends. The new salary structure must also reflect a bridge of the wide disparity between all ranks and subsequently, an appropriate increase has to be effected across board.”
Air Commodore Oguntuyi also disclosed that the payment of palliatives promised all veterans by President Tinubu would be paid by the ministry of humanitarian affairs between end of this month and last week of February.