‘They need more funds’ — Umahi rejects calls for sack of service chiefs

David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, has rejected the call for sack of the service chiefs.

Citing the rising insecurity in the country, the national assembly had asked the president to fire the service chiefs if they refuse to resign.

But speaking in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi on Friday, Umahi sais the military is in need of more funds.

He said the service chiefs are committed to defending the territorial integrity of the country.

Umahi spoke during the groundbreaking ceremony of Nigerian Army Reference Hospital.

“I want to disagree with the National Assembly in my own view about the change of service chiefs. One thing I have realised is that we like change too much in this country. We want everybody to taste every seat,” he said.

“That is not what we need at this critical time of our security challenges. What we need is cooperation with the security agencies.

“Without undermining the former inspectors general, this Inspector General is a very different human being. He is a very stubborn man but stubborn to the policies and law of the land. And that is the person this country needs. The Chief of Army staff is also a very committed person. Very friendly to the civil society.”

Umahi said what the service chiefs require at the moment is more information from the populace and increased funding and logistics support from the government.

He said sacking the service chiefs now may derail the fight against insurgency and criminality as their successors may take some time learning the ropes.

“So what these people need is cooperation, information. It is difficult for people to do anything without information,” he said.

“This is very important. And at this stage even when you change, whoever you bring is going to learn the ropes. And I believe that whatever decisions the service chiefs are not taking by them alone they are taken by also the senior officers.

“So I will be suggesting to Mr President in support of his retaining the service chiefs that we should increase their funding of the armed forces, we should increase their logistics, we should increase the programme that will bring information to the security agencies.

“So I support Mr President that instead of changing the service chiefs to rather increase their funding and increase the frequency of his meetings with them. And also encourage civil society to come up with information that will assist the security agencies.”