Politics
ACCOUNTABLE Leadership for Better Nigeria Initiative (ALBNI) a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has urged the National Assembly to address the delay in payment of insurance claims for soldiers who died in service.
This is contained in a petition by Executive Director, ALBNI, Mr. Remi Adebayo addressed to both Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Defence and Army on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adebayo urged the committees to organize a public hearing to unearth factors responsible for the delay.
“We hereby seek an investigation by the National Assembly to find out why the Ministry of Finance has delayed the payment of premium for Group Life Insurance of the Armed Forces and thereby delaying the prompt settlement of insurance claims of officers and men who died in service.
“An interface with the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance to eliminate bottlenecks hampering seamless and prompt in disbursements of insurance claims and all benefits due to beneficiaries and next~of~kins of fallen men and officers of the Armed Forces.
“A public hearing by the National Assembly to address issues causing a delay in the processing and disbursement of life insurance claims and other benefits due to members of the armed forces with a view to enthroning best practices in the management of the Armed Forces Pensions,’’he said.
Adebayo commended the parliament for doing a good job of finding a sustainable solution to the security challenges facing the country.
He recognised the gallantry of the men and officers of the Armed Forces in fighting insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other crimes threatening the fabric of the society.
“As such, we believe that the welfare of the fighting forces is central to the successful strategy implementation of the counter-force against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, armed conflicts, and all sorts of restiveness across the nation.
“Indeed, the welfare of the living soldiers and families of the fallen heroes must be accorded the needed and deserved attention.
“We will like to draw the attention of these committees to a from page report of Saturday PUNCH of May 29, 2021, where some widows of soldiers killed in the decade-old war against Boko Haram insurgency were lamenting the failure of the Ministry of Defence to pay them their husbands’ life insurance claims several years after their demise.
“We consider this situation as quite disheartening as it is unjust and demoralizing to the fighting spirit, commitment and effectiveness of the soldiers on the battlefield,” he said.
He added:“The helpless widows who had to express their agonies anonymously must be passing through the pains of losing their beloved husbands to Boko Haram insurgency and now abandoned by the nation to lick their wounds.”
He said that officers and men of the armed forces have continued to pay heavy sacrifices for the peace and security of the country by daily confronting criminal elements.
“These often attract casualties on the side of our gallant soldiers and even when not felled by criminals, accidents, and mishaps occur.(NAN)
– June 01, 2021 @ 15:56 GMT
Tags: Unpaid entitlement: NGO makes case for families of fallen heroes
