Debarment Allowance: Retired Military Pensioners call off planned protest

Following the meeting held between executive members of the retired military veterans comprised of ex-soldiers and officers and the Minister of Defence Maj Gen, Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) in Abuja on Thursday, the retired military veterans have called off their planned strike scheduled for August 13, next week.

The issue according to the Veterans had been that they were unjustifiably excluded from the payment of the Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) aimed at preventing retired personnel from using the knowledge and skills acquired while in the service against the state.

At the meeting with the minister, they appealed for inclusion in the payment of the SDA, arguing that they too met the required criteria to be paid having acquired knowledge and skills while in the service. Other issues raised by the Veterans are the need to address the wide gap between the Pensions of the Brigadier Generals and the Major Generals and incremental issue as a result of the increase in the Minimum wage. Also discussed was the issue of restricted NHIS for the Veterans and the need to institute burial support for the Veterans.

The meeting had in attendance all concerned parties.

The Minister’s team included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Sabi’u Zakari, Director Joint Services Department, Mrs Olu Mustapha, Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO), Brig Gen Auwal Fage, and Special Adviser (Technical) to the Defence Minister, Maj Gen Ahmed Tijani Jibrin (rtd), the Chief of Defence Staff Gen Gabriel Abayomi olonisakin, Chief of Defence Account and Budget Maj Gen Jahadi Ezra Jakko, Chairman Military Pensions Board Maj Gen A.B Adamu and the Director Veteran Affairs Defence Headquarters.

The pensioners team included, retired soldiers and officers, leaders of the Nigerian Legion, Veterans Federation of Nigeria (VFN) Coalition of Concerned Veterans (CCV) and the Retired Army, Navy and Airforce Officers (RANAO).

Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Defence who is also a member of the Veterans said the issue of SDA shouldn’t be a reason to protest pointing out that the provision in the Manual of the Financial Administration for the Armed Forces is clear.

While briefing the meeting, the Chief of Account and Budget Defence Headquarters Major General Jakko recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari signed and approved SDA on the 24th February 2018 but backdated the policy to take effect from 9th November 2017 payable to all personnel on retirement pointing out that the policy does not cover the agitating Veterans who retired before this date.

The Minister who played the role of arbiter, however, directed the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olonisakin to take a look at the issues presented by the Veterans with a view to addressing their concerns.

The meeting resolved as follows:

The Veterans appreciated the President and Commander-in-Chief, the Honorable Minister of defense as well as the Chief of the Defense Staff for their concern in improving the welfare of Veterans especially the harmonization of the pensioners.

The meeting decried the resort by some veteran bodies to the use of social media, threat to protest, to channel their grievances, instead of following laid down channels.

The meeting resolved to finding ways of creatively addressing the expressed concerns of the Veterans with regards to the issue of security Debarment Allowance (SDA) and other welfare issues.

The Honorable Minister of Defense stated that the spirit of esprit-de-corps, respect for seniors and military discipline should be maintained by the Veterans.

The meeting called on the Veterans bodies to always sort for amicable resolution of issues of common interest.

The Communique was jointly signed by leaders of the 4 veterans groups that were invited to the meeting by the Honorable Minister of Defense.

Consequently, the outcome of the meeting finally laid to rest the threats by Veterans to embark on peaceful protest.