The House of Representatives Committee on Defence has promised to ensure more budgetary allocation to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), the Command and Staff College (CSC),Jaji and the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in the 2025 budget.
Babajimi Benson, chairman of the committee, stated this in an interview with journalists during an oversight visits to the military institutions.
Benson said his committee was very impressed with the management of the three military organisations.
He noted that despite the revenue issues and the weak currency, they have been able to float and still keep their heads high.
He said, “We are here to see and understand the roles and functions of these various agencies of the armed forces.
“We are very impressed with the management of the three agencies, the NDA, the CSC and DICON.
“They are actually floating beyond their weight. Despite the revenue issues, the fluctuation of the naira, they have been able to float and still keep their heads high. Their flags are very very high”.
Benson described the NDA as a world class institution that is comparable to any academy in the world while the CSC
attracts middle officers from all over the world.
He said, with the signing of a bill in January by President Bola Tinubu, the DICON is expected to transform into a multi- industrial company for the production of military hard and soft wares.
“We expect to see better budgetary allocations for them in 2025.
“DICON have so much potentials to turn the fortunes of the hardware, software and military equipment, significantly to produce these items by ensuring that they get the factory”, the committee chairman said.
According to him, with the transformation of DICON into multi industrial company, “Nigeria will be self sufficient in military hardware and software.
It has the capacity to also feed Africa and safe foreign exchange.
“Like the NDA Commandant told us, they need bullets to train mask men. The armed forces need a lot of bullets. “Majority of these are purchased abroad, we can produce this locally at DICON.
“We will continue to ensure that the President grants budgetary enhancement for DICON, NDA and CSC.”
Also speaking in an interview on behalf of his two colleagues, John Ochai, Commandant of NDA, thanked the lawmakers for the visit.
He said many issues concerning defence were discussed with the lawmakers.
“On behalf of the leaders from the other two establishments, I most sincerely thank the committee for having visited us.
“We had series of discussions , as you are aware defence related matters are mostly confidential, but I can assure you that far reaching decisions were made that would move the thre establishments forward.
“You will see a better capacity for the leadership that we would provide for the Armed Forces based on the cadets we train out of the Nigerian Defence Academy, and you will see more capacity for the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria…
“Far reaching decisions were also taken regarding the Armed Forces Command and Staff College which would enable it to build capacity to develop officers of the middle rank cadre and Armed forces would be better for it, generally”, the Commandant said.
