The Senate through its Committee on Defence has faulted the poor budgetary allocation for the Defence Industrial Corporation of Nigeria, DICON, in the 2022 budget proposal
The Director General, Defence Industrial Corporations of Nigeria, Major General Hassan Fafida while defending the 2022 Budget Proposal before the senate committee on Defence said a total of N2.1 billion was allocated for capital expenditure
He said the proposed N2.1 billion is short of N300 million from the N2.4 Billion capital expenditure allocated for DICON in 2021.
Major Gen. Tafida also urged the committee to increase the overhead proposed for his agency as N250 million proposed will be grossly inadequate.
The chairman Senate Committee on Defence Senator Aliyu Wamakko Magatakada says the N2.1 billion allocated to DICON for the production of necessary military weapons for the Nigeria Army in 2022 is inadequate
Senator Abba Moro in his contribution said it is unfortunate that DICON has been reduced to a company that produces mere bullets when other countries like Brazil have moved steps further to producing aircraft for their military.
Also read: Outrage in Senate over non utilization of N1.5bn cancer fund
He lamented that Nigeria is not ready for the industrial revolution as far as the production of Military equipment is concerned.
Senator Elisha Abbo said that its time for the government to begin to encourage research and partner with indigenous companies to produce weapons for the Nigerian military as it is done in some developed countries.
Senator Abbo also called on the government to stop further importation of AK 47 and empower DICON to start massive production of weapons in view of the government’s huge investment in DICON.
The chairman of the committee on Senator Aliyu Wamakko Magatakada assured that the committee will do all within it’s the power to ensure that adequate funds is allocated to DICON to properly carry out its mandate.
Reporter: Oyediya Urum. Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
