Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged Defence Minister-designate and immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to push for the Nigerian Army to be placed on First Line Charge to guarantee swift and uninterrupted access to operational funds.
Ndume made the call on Wednesday in Abuja after Musa was screened and confirmed by the Senate as successor to former Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru.
The Borno South senator, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army and a vocal advocate for enhanced military welfare, argued that placing the Army, Navy and Air Force under statutory transfer would eliminate the bureaucratic bottlenecks that slow down the procurement of critical arms and equipment in conflict zones.
He said:
“While I commend him on his appointment — which most Nigerians believe he has earned — he must convince the President and Commander-in-Chief on the need to place the Nigerian Army on First Line Charge. Beyond adequate funding, what matters most is prompt disbursement. When the military does not receive its capital budget fully and on time, operations are inevitably affected.”
Ndume emphasized that protecting lives and property is a constitutional duty of government and should never suffer due to avoidable funding delays.
“There is no justification for late releases of funds for military procurement and other strategic tasks,” he added.
The lawmaker also urged the incoming Defence Minister to prioritise better welfare and remuneration for service personnel.
“My position on improved welfare for the Armed Forces is well known. They are not the best paid in the West African sub-region. Something urgent must be done to show them that their sacrifices are valued,” Ndume said.
Agencies currently on First Line Charge — also known as statutory transfers — receive their allocations directly from the Federation Account ahead of all ministries and agencies. Beneficiaries include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Assembly, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
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