By Tony Adibe
A Foundation Member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former Director General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has said that Nigeria must avoid a situation in which her military would be fighting 21st century wars with 20th century military orthodox doctrines.
In a press release he issued to laud the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for the recent salary increase for members of Nigeria’s military, and expansion of the Army Divisions, Okechukwu, however, said a salary increase alone without a corresponding equipment and technology for modern warfare could not guarantee victory for the country’s armed forces.
NewsBits recalls that recently President Tinubu approved salary increases of 80 per cent for Privates to Staff Sergeants. Also, the president approved salary increases of 50 per cent for Warrant Officers to Colonels, and 30 per cent for Brigadiers to Generals, alongside the creation of four additional army divisions.
Okechukwu, however, cautioned that improved remuneration alone cannot guarantee victory over insurgency, terrorism and banditry without corresponding investment in superior technologies that define modern warfare. “It is on record that 80 per cent of the Armed Forces have no mortgage homes,” he said.
On the expansion of the army, Okechukwu argued that military superiority in the 21st century is determined less by the size of an army than by the sophistication of its technology. According to Okechukwu, “Today’s battlefields are dominated by drones, satellite surveillance, electronic warfare, cyber operations, precision-guided weapons, artificial intelligence and real-time intelligence.
“Victory no longer belongs to the side with the largest number of boots on the ground, but to the side with superiority of AI-driven intelligence capabilities.” He said, “However, patriotism compels one to ask a fundamental question?
“How will our administration, in an era of lean fiscal resources and under budget implementation, sustain such a significant increase in recurrent expenditure while adequately funding critical sectors such as healthcare, education and infrastructure without triggering hyper-inflation?”
“Dear President, my candid concern in the midst of huge debt is the big elephant in the room. For a pay rise of almost 30 per cent across the board with little or no export product outside fluctuating oil price may trigger off hyper-inflation and monetary paralysis?”
The politician said that it is clear to the President that police, other paramilitary agencies and the wider civil service would naturally demand aggressively for comparable salary adjustments, to face the same market.
Offering an alternative approach, Okechukwu called for a 30 per cent budget addition to kitchen table welfare enablers for the greatest number of Nigerians, among which are members of the Armed Forces and other public servants.
“More investment in comprehensive healthcare, quality educational opportunities and affordable mortgage home schemes will better spread joy, strengthen purchasing power, encourage productivity and employment. He, however, lauded President Tinubu for the salary increase and plan to expand the army divisions but insisted that the initiative must be supported by the provision of modern equipment in fighting modern warfare.
