A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday said Nigeria must stop fighting 21st century wars with 20th century military orthodox doctrines, stressing that improved remuneration alone cannot guarantee victory over insurgency, terrorism and banditry without corresponding investment in superior technologies that define modern warfare.
Okechukwu made the remark while commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving a substantial salary increase for members of the Armed Forces.
He made this known in a statement he signed in reaction to the recent salary review and the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions.
President Tinubu had approved salary increases of 80 per cent for Privates to Staff Sergeants, 50 per cent for Warrant Officers to Colonels, and 30 per cent for Brigadiers to Generals, alongside the creation of four additional Army divisions.
He said: “Like millions of Nigerians, I wholeheartedly applaud Mr President for improving the welfare of our gallant Armed Forces, who daily risk their lives in defence of our nation.
“However, patriotism compels one to ask a fundamental question? How will our administration, in an era of lean fiscal resources and under budget implementation; sustain such a significant increase in recurrent expenditure while adequately funding critical sectors such as healthcare, education and infrastructure without triggering hyper-inflation?
“Dear President, my candid concern in the midst of huge debt is the big elephant in the room. For a pay rise of almost 30% across the board with little or no export product outside fluctuating oil price may trigger off hyper-inflation and monetary paralysis?
“Albeit, Mr President I know is aware that what is good for the goose is good for the gander; therefore the Police, other paramilitary agencies and the wider civil service will naturally demand aggressively for comparable salary adjustments, to face the same market?”
On offering an alternative approach, Okechukwu said: “I believe that 30% budget addition to kitchen table welfare enablers to the greatest number of Nigerians among which are members of the Armed Forces and other public servants, interalia; comprehensive healthcare, quality educational opportunities and and affordable mortgage home schemes, will better spread joy, strengthen purchasing power, encourage productivity and employment. It is on record that 80% of the Armed Forces have no mortgage homes.”
On the expansion of the Army, Okechukwu argued that military superiority in the 21st century is determined less by the size of an army than by the sophistication of its technology.
“Today’s battlefields are dominated by drones, satellite surveillance, electronic warfare, cyber operations, precision-guided weapons, artificial intelligence and real-time intelligence. Victory no longer belongs to the side with the largest number of boots on the ground, but to the side with superiority of AI-driven intelligence capabilities,” he added.
Salary increase alone can’t end terrorism, modern tech needed – APC’s Okechukwu