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Military denies ex-Biafran
soldiers’ pensions
COSMAS EKPUNOBI,
Abuja
AGAINST the
backdrop of outcry of negligence by ex-soldiers, military authorities have ruled
out ex-Biafran servicemen from benefitting from the scheme, unless their pardon
is officially gazzetted.
The position came to light at a meeting
yesterday between the House of Representatives Committee on Defence and various
organisations of ex-service men, even as the Directorate of Military Pensions
Board (DMPB) said it has not paid the death benefits to the family of the
ex-Head of State the late Gen. Sani Abacha because they have not applied for it.
The law-makers were, how ever, taken aback
when a group, the Retired Army, Navy and Air Force officers (RANAO) told the
committee that President Olusegun Obasanjo’s granting of pardon to Dim
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and other ex-Biafran soldiers about four years ago
had not been gazzetted yet.
Secretary to the organisation Col. Bola
Ogunsonwa (rtd) who disclosed this, said attempt to resolve the military pension
controversy in isolation of the fate of the pardoned ex-Biafran soldiers may
create more problems in the land.
According to him, no retired soldiers who
fought on the side of the secessionist Republic of Biafra during the civil war
(1967-70) has received any pension because their pardon had not been gazzetted.
But chairman of DMPB, Group Capt. Adamu
Kacharo said the board cannot consider any ex-Biafran soldier for pension unless
their pardon is officially gazzetted.
Group Captain Kacharo told journalists
that the board would, however, commence the process of paying the death benefits
to the Abacha family as soon as they apply for the money, adding that the board
requires over N20 billion to settle the arrears of seven months of pension and
death benefits to different military beneficiaries.
The chairman, who confirmed a plan to pay
the seven months pension arrears next month, however, said the monthly approval
of N1.8 billion by the National Assembly against the required N2.3 billion for
pension payment, would compel the DMPB to suspend payment of death benefits.
National Assembly in this year’s budget
approved N29 billion for payment of military pensions.
But Group. Capt. Kacharo said the board
requires N15.4 billion to offset arrears of pensions only also for seven months,
adding that there would still be more arrears pilling unless a monthly release
of N2.3 billion is effectual by government.
About 97.000 pensioners are being paid by
the directorate.
The RANAO, in its position paper through
the president, Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro kicked against a planned verification
exercise to authenticate the genuine retired soldiers saying that the exercise
was an attempt de-base ex-soldiers.
The body, however, agreed with DMPB which
insisted on a con-prehensive relieved of the Nigerian Legion with a vied to
ascertaining their demand for pension.
Chairman of the Legion Chief J.C. Nnabuife
asked the House committee to consider re-acceptance of members of the Legion for
pension.
Chairman of the committee Hon. Wole Oke,
in his closing remarks, said that the committee was considering a wholistic
approach to tackle the issue of military pensions.
He was, however, silent on the fate of the
ex-Biafran soldiers who are not part of the scheme.
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