15 Generals, others to quit armed forces
From Madu Onuorah (Abuja)
NIGERIA's armed forces will soon pull out a good number of its high ranking officers going by service regulation. The Army alone may lose 15 Major Generals.
Their equivalents in the Navy, (Rear Admirals) and Air Force (Air Vice Marshals) are also not spared, but their numbers will be considerably lower because of the smaller sizes of the two services. Other ranks in the officer corps, from Brigadier Generals (for the Army), Air Commodores (for the Air Force) and Naval Commodores (for the Navy) down the ladder will also be affected
Though the disengagements may look sweeping, they are not punitive. The military high command by approving the retirements is only implementing the specifications contained in the rules, regulations and conditions of service for personnel who have served for 35 years or above.
To be affected mostly in the higher ranks are "boy soldiers", a term for products of the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, Kaduna State whose number of years in the elite school are now counted as years of service in the military. In the past, these were loosely interpreted, meaning that their years as boy soldiers were sometimes overlooked, especially when it is convenient.
The second group comprises those who joined the officer corps after a stint in the junior ranks. This time, their years as other ranks are added as years of service as officers.
Also, officers who have failed the board interview or examination three times will be affected as their chances of being promoted are nil. Moreover, officers, whose ages put them against the bar for the rank they adorn, would be affected in the pull out as there is a bar for each rank. For instance, Army Captains or their equivalents, who are 35 years of age or more, must be retired compulsorily or be advised to proceed on terminal leave.
Similarly, officers from the age of 45, who still remain as lieutenant colonels or their equivalents must retire. For colonels or their equivalents in the Navy and Air Force, the age is 48, brigadier generals - 51, major generals - 53 and lieutenant-generals - 55.
There are however, exceptions to these rules. It is known in the military that all officers hold the President's commission. So, officers who hold political appointments - service chiefs - are exempted. They hold their positions at the mercy of the President who can retire them before their exit age or even extend it beyond their normal Run-Out Date (ROD).
Already, the Army Council, Navy Board and the Air Force Council, the highest decision-making bodies of the services have met and approved the list of those to be affected in the planned retirement.
Members of the councils or board include the Minister of Defence (who serves as the chairman and the President's representative), permanent secretary, Ministry of Defence (who acts as secretary), Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs of the three services. They are the only organs empowered by law to approve retirements in the military.
But the retirements would not be implemented in one swoop. Already, the affected officers are being informed individually and officially of their run-out dates. They are expected to forward their letters of retirement, in which case they will proceed on terminal leave, preparatory to their voluntary exit. Or they could ignore the letters and get retired compulsorily. Voluntary retirement is seen as honourable discharge while compulsory retirement is less esteemed.
Obviously, the expected retirements would necessitate major redeployments in the services. The positions the affected officers now occupy would have to be filled. Such redeployments are expected to be effected piecemeal as the officers go on retirement. The exercises are to be done quietly as the military is leaning towards making its redeployments out of the spotlight unless going to the media is absolutely necessary.
Another effect of the expected retirements would be the explosion in the cost of payment of entitlements by the Military Pensions Board. The board already has a backlog of arrears of monthly pensions and the gratuities of retiring and retired personnel. Because of the huge bill and the effects of the non-payment on former officers, certain retirements have been put on hold, especially in the other ranks.
The services have also been paying the salaries of retiring officers and men for up to six months after their run-out dates. They are equally allowed grace period to continue to stay in their official quarters until the payment of their gratuities, or six months from their date of disengagement; whichever comes first.
A Presidency source confirmed the looming sale, saying that it is in the national interest and part of the reforms in the military.
Said he: "I think it is important that the rules be not implemented but seem to be so. We cannot afford to bend rules or seem to be doing so, especially in the military. It has to be made clear that the era of saying one thing and doing another is over. The military is a special institution and the good thing is that they do accept and understand that the rules have to be implemented and obeyed. The other good thing is that they won't, like in the past, hear their names in the media that they have been retired. No, they joined the military individually and not as a group. So, when their terminal leave is due, they will be notified personally.
"They usually have some months to prepare for the eventual retirement. In any case, like they are being told, any of them who reaches the rank of Colonel should have a stand-by retirement plan that could be activated as and when due. So, to the military, especially the senior officers, they know that retirement is inevitable and they are ready for it. What we need to do is to make sure that their gratuity and pensions are paid urgently so that they can comfortably settle for civilian life. That is the least of what we owe them", he stated.`
