The Federal Government has assured military veterans and their families of better welfare.
Defence Minister Muhammad Badaru gave the assurance when he hosted executives of the Veteran Association of Nigeria yesterday in Abuja.
Badaru said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration was working on an existing structure that would be all-inclusive in the welfare of the veterans and their families.
The minister said the Federal Government would pay the Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) of veterans in two trenches and make palliatives available to them to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Badaru said: “Also, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is being reviewed to cover the veterans, among others.
“To drive the process of achieving the all-inclusive welfare package for the veterans, we have directed that a five-man committee from the 15 different associations be set up to drive further engagements with the ministry to further strengthen the way forward”.
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, said the ministry was committed to supporting the veterans who he said “have fought tirelessly in keeping Nigeria one and in maintaining the territorial integrity of the nation”.
The Permanent Secretary in the Defence Ministry, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, said the approved SDA had been given to the Military Pensions Board for onward payment to the veterans.
