Security analyst, retired Major Muhammad Bashir Galma has described the Federal Government’s decision to increase the soldiers minimum salary to N100,000 as a positive development, saying it could boost the morale of troops fighting insurgency and other security threats. But he said the hike is not enough given the realities of the country’s economy today
In an interview, Galma said the government deserved credit for taking steps to improve the soldiers’ welfare, but he argued the new salary was not commensurate with the cost of living.
“The government has tried a lot, we cannot say it has not. “But with the current economic situation, ₦100,000 is not enough to take care of a person’s monthly needs,” he said.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), last week said the Federal Government was planning to raise the minimum salary of junior military personnel to ₦100,000 from the former ₦49,000 monthly entry wage.
The rise will take their pay to nearly twice what it was but the Minister said military funding still does not meet what is needed to effectively meet today’s security challenges.
The announcement has created a national debate with many Nigerians questioning whether the increase is proportional to the risks soldiers face in the line of duty.
Galma said soldiers are entitled to extra allowances but insisted that the salary hike alone is not enough. He also questioned if the government had the financial muscle to sustain the new wage structure.
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“Though there are other allowances given to the soldiers, ₦100,000 is still not enough, the bigger question is whether the government has money to implement this policy. We have seen the government resort to borrowing as the cost of everything continues to rise, we hope there is money available to implement this plan without taking on more debt. He also called on the government to review the salaries of soldiers and other security personnel again soon.
Another retired former senior military officer, who asked not to be named, said poor pay was only one of many challenges facing personnel in the armed forces.
He said shortages of modern equipment and alleged unfair treatment by some senior officers are affecting morale in the army.
“There are problems like lack of modern equipment and unfair treatment in the payment of entitlements by some senior officers. There is still a long way to go unless these issues are addressed, that is why you see experienced soldiers leaving the service at a time when they are needed most,” the retired officer said.
The demand for a salary hike is still a hot issue for public discussion, and many are hopeful that better welfare for the troops will boost national security and improve the efficiency of the armed forces.
