The Nigerian Army has advanced reasons why the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, approved the recent voluntary discharge of 243 soldiers, including Warrant Officer Ndagana Ishiaku.
It said it was within the rights of personnel to apply for voluntary discharge when they meet the terms and conditions, which include medical grounds.
The Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, made the disclosure, while reacting to social media reports that soldiers were proceeding on voluntary retirement due to alleged corruption, poor service conditions and low morale.
He said that recruitment into the Nigerian Army was voluntary with extant policy on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively, like other organizations, adding that “this provides its personnel the opportunity to apply for voluntary discharge, when they deem fit and meet the terms and conditions as stipulated in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for soldiers/ratings/airmen (Revised) 2017.”
Nwachukwu therefore dismissed the report as unfounded and another attempt by enemies of the state to dampen the morale of troops.
According to the statement, “the allegation that soldiers of the Nigerian Army (NA) are proceeding on voluntary retirement due to alleged corruption, poor service conditions and low morale as recently reported by some media outfits in the social media is nothing but a concoction of the imagination of the unrepentant enemies of the nation and mischief makers and should be out rightly discountenanced by the public.
“The subjective and unethical report is a distraction and another failed attempt at dampening the morale and fighting will of the loyal, dedicated and patriotic fighting force of the NA.
“Perhaps these impenitent mischief makers need to be schooled to understand that the NA is not a conscript Army and that recruitment into the NA is voluntary with extant policy on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively like other organizations.
“It is therefore not an aberration that the COAS granted approval for 91 NA/32/4792 WO NDAGANA ISHIAKU and 242 others to voluntarily discharge from the NA, as being unprofessionally manipulated by some media.
“Given the pedigree and mannerism of the publisher of the ill-fated report, it is clear, that it is targeted at deflating the high morale of troops by downplaying recent critical interventions by the COAS Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya on troops’ welfare, which include car loans, housing loans, extensive construction of new accommodation and massive renovation of old and dilapidated accommodation”.
The statement continued that, “it must also be mentioned, that the quantum of equipment that have been injected into the theatres and prompt payment of operational allowances, have all turned the tide against the insurgents. Also worthy of note is the welfare flight for troops, which has significantly reduced the burden of troops travelling in and out of the theatres, in addition to huge commitment on the medical needs of wounded-in-action soldiers and the barracks communities.
“Equally important, is the fact that troops are now being regularly and consciously rotated from the frontline, hence, issues of overstays and battle fatigue are gradually being overcome. Suffice to say, that some of these recently discharged soldiers are beneficiaries of these giant strides.”
Credit: THE VANGUARD.
