To enhance the operational efficiency of its personnel, the Nigerian Navy recently held a seminar. Organised by the Accounts and Budget branch, it was a multi-faceted forum that was tailored to optimise its non-public fund opportunities in a dynamic environment. But beyond this, ChiemelieEzeobi writes that it provided an opportunity to unveil the comprehensive welfare schemes, including housing policies for personnel, whether serving, retired or deceased
When the doors of the Admiralty Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, opened on a certain Thursday in July, the participants of the 2024 Nigerian Navy (NN) Accounts and Budget (A&B) Seminar didn’t know exactly what to expect other than how the NN intends to improve on the welfare of its personnel.
Soon enough, the agenda became clearer as speaker upon speaker elucidated the plans and measures that would enhance welfare in a bid to achieve optimal output efficiency.
Themed “Optimising Nigerian Navy Non-Public Fund Opportunities in a Dynamic Economic Environment: Nigerian Navy Personnel in Focus”, the seminar served as an avenue to reiterate the NN’s commitment to enhancing personnel welfare through innovative funding strategies.
The second in the series after the maiden edition in 2012, the seminar drew participants from top members of the Armed Forces accounts and budget departments, senior military officers, financial institutions, and personnel from the NN A&B branch, as well as retired officers.
Need for Capacity Building of A&B Personnel
The day one of the seminar set the tone for what the forum portends. While reiterating the need for capacity building of Nigerian Navy Accounts and Budget personnel, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, said the seminar was a step in the right direction.
Ogalla, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Joseph Daniel Akpan, commended the Chief of Accounts and Budget (CAB), Rear Admiral Omotola Olukoya for understanding the importance of building capacity for the men overseeing the financial aspect of the NN.
Looking Inwards to Leverage Non-public Funds for the NN
Necessitated by the challenge of a lean purse, the NN had to start looking inwards to generate income to take care of its personnel other than relying solely on the defence budget given that it was no longer enough to support its personnel.
This much was covered by Rear Admiral KO Komolafe (Rtd), a former Chief of Accounts and Budget, when he delivered the keynote paper titled “Non-Public Fund Opportunities and Personnel Welfare: Imperatives for the Nigerian Navy”.
Not done, three other strategic sessions also focused on financial imperatives leveraging non-public fund entities in the NN and how to generate such non-public funds to boost personnel welfare.
Also speaking, Vice Admiral Ogalla, emphasised that optimising non-public funds is crucial for improving welfare of naval personnel, thereby enhancing operational efficiency.
“The welfare of our personnel is fundamental to our operational success,” Ogalla stated. “By leveraging non-public funds, we aim to improve living standards, retain skilled personnel, and ensure a resilient and capable naval force”.
The CNS called for innovative strategies to generate funds independently from government budgetary allocations. “With shrinking government budgets, it is imperative that we look inward to develop alternative funding sources. This will enable us to better support our personnel and ensure operational effectiveness.”
Not done, he said the NN will continue to support the families of naval personnel through the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) and the Ratings Wives Association as these “organisations play a crucial role in providing support to the families of our personnel, especially those who have fallen in the line of duty”.
Expanding Welfare Schemes for the NN
Already, the Nigerian Navy operates some schemes to enhance the welfare of its personnel like navy insurance, car refurbishing loan and welfare loan schemes.
Managed by the Directorate of Non-public Funds, the CNS said the NN will expand these welfare schemes, adding that “we are committed to enhancing these initiatives to provide better support for our personnel and their families”.
Pension Increment, Housing
One of the welfare measures brought to the front burner was the 20 per cent pension Increment for the Armed Forces by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which took effect from January this year. While expressing the gratitude of the service to the president
for his unwavering support in prioritising the welfare of Armed Forces personnel, Vice Admiral Ogalla said “the approval of a 20 per cent increase in pension rates is a testament to his commitment to our welfare”.
Another challenge that has constantly proved a challenge for the Armed Forces is the issue of adequate housing. On this, the CNS highlighted ongoing efforts to improve housing and other welfare aspects for naval personnel.
“Over 300 new housing units have been provided, and various palliatives have been given to our personnel. These initiatives are part of our broader strategy to improve the living standards and well-being of our naval force.”
Support for Retirees, Deceased Personnel
The military is one service that never leaves anyone hanging and this much was reiterated by the CNS. For the retirees, he said: “The Navy is also focused on preparing personnel for retirement and ensuring their well-being post-service. Recent increases in pension rates and other benefits reflect our commitment to supporting our retirees. We will continue to develop policies that ensure the welfare of both serving and retired personnel.”
Need for Transparency, Accountability
But even with the available funds, Ogalla stressed the need for transparency, accountability and continuous evaluation in the management of these schemes to meet the needs of the personnel.
Underscoring the need for transparency and accountability in managing non-public funds he said: “We must ensure that these funds are managed effectively to meet the evolving needs of our personnel. Continuous evaluation and transparency are essential to this process.”
Innovative Solutions for Welfare Needs
The second day, which marked the end of the seminar, strategy sessions featured presentations by the Managing Directors of the Naval Dockyard Ltd and Admiralty Exchange Ltd as well as the Director of Medical Services and they were geared towards eliciting innovative solutions for addressing the numerous identified welfare confronting NN personnel from the perspectives of engineering, healthcare and consumer goods under the current economic realities.
During another session, the Managing Directors of the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) and Naval Building and Construction Company Ltd proffered workable strategies for affordable barracks construction and post-service housing delivery to Naval personnel and other stakeholders.
Beyond the lectures, it is expected that the discourse yield actionable insights and innovative solutions to enhance the Navy’s operational effectiveness and the well-being of its personnel. This much was agreed by the CNS who pledged that they will “ continue to prioritise the welfare of our personnel, ensuring a capable and resilient naval force ready to protect our maritime environment and contribute to our nation’s economic prosperity”.
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