inadequate fighting jets, arms and ammunition are hampering its performance in the fight against insecurity, the Nigerian Navy said on Monday.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, stated this while defending the 2022 budget of the Navy before the House of Representatives Committee on Navy chaired by Rep. Yusuf Gagdi.
Gambo said other issues impeding the personnel’s performance included obsolete logistics, huge material and personnel cost for maintaining seized and arrested vessels and baggies and shortage of barracks accommodation for its personnel.
“The immediate challenges to the Nigerian Navy operational efficiency include inadequate platforms, jetties, arms and ammunition and obsolete logistics support facilities. Others are huge material and personnel cost for maintaining seized and arrested vessels and baggies and shortage of barracks accommodation, amongst others. Some of the key challenges are briefly highlighted in the brief before you.”
Reviewing the 2021 budget performance, Gambo explained that the capital budget of N25.3 billion was appropriated for 2021 and has so far been fully released.
According to him, the released funds have been used to implement critical projects.
On 2022 budget proposal, the Naval Chief said that a total of N220,236,832,129.64 was proposed but was slashed to N25.8 billion by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
“The Nigerian Navy priority projects as outlined in the strategic plan 2021 to 2030 are fleet renewal, concept and organization, capital development, fleet support Infrastructure, operations, logistics as well as personnel welfare. Thus for year 2022, the Nigerian Navy initial capital expenditure budgetary estimates amounted to N220,236,832,129.64. However, the Nigerian Navy was obliged to review the estimate down to the N25.8 billion equivalent to about 11 per cent of the Nigerian Navy’s needs which was given by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning as the Nigerian Navy’s budget ceiling.
“The Nigerian Navy’s year 2022 personnel cost amount to N108,165,092,586. This amount is required for the payment of salaries and particularly, the allowances contained in the manual of financial administration for the Armed Forces of Nigeria 2017. Part of the money proposed will also cater for the National Health Insurance Scheme.”