Military Gives Reason for Non-Payment of Abacha, Ironsi's Benefits
Obasanjo asked to gazette Biafran soldiers' pardon
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Abuja
The Directorate of Military Pensions has blamed non-payment of entitlements of the late military leaders General Sani Abacha and General Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi on failure of their families to apply for their gratuities.
Director of Military Pensions, Group Captain Adamu Bargo Kachiro who disclosed this yesterday at a meeting organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence also revealed that all arrears and other entitlements due to all the other former heads of state have been paid.
"General Abacha is yet to be paid his gratuity. He is not to be paid pensions but if the family applies by writing to me, we will pay. The same goes for General Ironsi though I am not quite sure of that since that took place long ago, but if their families apply, we will process them", he said.
Yesterday's parley, which was a response to the threat by pensioners to assassinate the Minister of Defence, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, Kachiro and Chairman of the Committee, Hon Wale Okey, deliberated extensively on how to solve the pensions problem once and for all.
Kachiro also disclosed that N19.3 billion was needed to defray the backlog of seven months of arrears owed military pensioners. This amount, according to him, excluded that of Nigerian soldiers who fought on the side of Biafra. He said the Biafran ex-soldiers were excluded because the President was yet to gazette the pardon granted them four years ago.
Kachiro said the file of the soldiers from the South-east of the country was still classified as top secret, adding that only when it has been gazetted would the calculation of their entitlements be done by his office.
He said the Ministry of Finance has promised to release N700 million deductions to the board, which would be used to pay the June and July salaries.
Kachiro said if the ministry stopped the deductions currently effected on the board's funds, it (board) would be able to honour monthly payment obligations to the pensioners on time.
Contributing at the meeting, Colonel Bola Ogunsanwo (rtd) drew the attention of the committee members to the plight of soldiers who had put in over 15 years service on the Nigerian side before switching over to the Biafran side when the war broke out.
He pointed out that since the president pardoned the soldiers, he was yet to effect the gazette. This situation, he added, has made life very difficult for the ex-soldiers since they cannot hold or contest public offices.
Ogunsanwo urged Obasanjo to expedite action and ensure that those from the South East affected by the war have their pardon gazetted to enable them live normal life in the society.
He also pleaded with government to treat the payment of military pension with the same urgency the House treated the Plateau budget. Lieutenant Colonel Sani Saleh called for the appointment of a retired military person to man the Directorate of Military Pensions, arguing that such a person would bring the weight of his military experiences to bear on the office.
After the parley, Oke assured the pensioners that the House was going to do all within its powers to ensure that money was voted for the payment of the pension of military retirees.
He, however, described as insensitive the threat on the lives of the lawmakers. Oke expressed concern that those who served their fatherland should not be treated with such levity and assured those whose entitlements were on hold due to conflicting rules to be calm as they would be attended to soon.
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