House of Reps chair on Army calls for more funding of the military

The House of Representatives Committee on The Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Army, Hon. Shawulu Kwewum has called for more funding of the military.
Kwewum, speaking after a visit at the Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, 14 Brigade Headquarters, Ohafia, Abia State.
According to Kwewum, it has become necessary that the military were given more funds because of the numerous tasks, including fight against insurgency, kidnapping, childtrafficking, cultism, armed robbery etc, that they have been engaged into over the years which he stated would ordinarily have been the responsibility of the police.
“The fact of the matter is that we have a lot of security challenges across the country and you have been seen the challenges and some efforts are being made. There has been some improvements, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
“Am sure that as we increase the funding that is available to the military, they will be able to perform optimally. Today the military is actually performing the functions of the police because of the weaknesses that we have. The army, traditionally is supposed to be facing external aggression; people trying to threaten the territorial integrity of the country.
“But now we have a situation where the army is involved in fighting kidnapping, cultism, oil bunkery, child trafficking and other crimes.
So, their roles have increased but their funding haven’t been increased. That’s the gap that we have,” said Kwewum.

Hon. Uko Nkole, member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly and a member of the committee in whose domain the 14 Brigade Headquarters is situated said “I am very happy that the committee has come to appraise the situation on ground.
“The gaps have been noted and through appropriation, the committee will cure whatever that is the problems in the barracks. We have seen it and am very happy that the officers here are professionals in what they do. It is one thing to have officers and it is another thing to have officers that will conduct themselves in professional manners. I am proud of them and to say that the committee will do its possible best within our legislative frame work to do that.”
Earlier in his speech, the Commander 14 Brigade, Brigadier General Abubakar K. Ibrahim noted that the brigade which is bounded by the states in the Southeast and South-South states have been active in tackling oil bunkery, kidnapping, armed robbery, farmers/herdsmen clash, activities of secessionist groups and among activities of group of individuals that would have caused breach of peace in Abia State and it’s environs.

Ibrahim using the opportunity of the visit to draw the attention of the committee to the areas of needs of the command, listed inadequate lift capacity, inadequate accommodation, lack of water supply, poor road network, epileptic power supply, inadequate medical facilities among others as some of the challenges facing the brigade.