The House of Representatives Committee on Army on Tuesday during the defence of the 2017 budget proposals of the Army queried the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai over the poor conditions of military barracks.
The army was allocated N152.8bn out of the N465.8bn Defence budget for 2017.
The House Committee chaired by Hon. Rima Shawulu. from Taraba State said there was no provision for the rehabilitation or building of new barracks for soldiers.
A member of the committee Linda Ikpeazu, said soldiers in the South-South and South-East are mostly affected.
She said the committee recently embarked on a tour of barracks and met the families of soldiers living in horrible accommodation.
She further said; “The barracks are horrible, especially in the Uyo-Calabar axis; the accommodation is not there for the soldiers.
“You can’t possibly expect them to give their best if you subject your soldiers to this situation where there is no proper accommodation.
“Nothing is reflected in this 2017 budget for the barracks. Are you telling this committee that the Army doesn’t even consider the condition of the barracks a top priority?
“We need these answers, please, from the Army.”
They decided to set up a technical committee to discuss all the issues.
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