The face-off between the veterans body CCV and the federal government of Nigeria, worsened further this week when after a seeming meaningless meeting between the finance minister and the group, produced no solution to the plight of the veterans.
A disappointed Abiodun DUROWAIYE-HERBERTS the CCV Secretary / Spokesperson rolled out a full statement afterwards, to capture the mood of the veterans and their possible expectations and possible next of action.
Below is the full statement:
*CUNNING EFFORTS BY THE MINISTERS OF DEFENCE AND FINANCE AIMED TO SCUTTLE THE VETERANS' PLANS TO PREVENT THE HOLDING OF THE 2023 ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY.*
1. It comes across clearly to discerning minds and critical observers that the recent meetings with the apex leaders of the two (2) Ministries; MoF and MoD that have withheld the payment of our SDA is just one more move in a sequence of serial deceits and brinksmanship that have been perfected to delay payment of the SDA to veterans. While we thank both Ministers for their invaluable time, it is surprising that they suddenly had the patch to meet with our SDA team. Though a calculated strategy, we are certain they hope that their direct intervention and esteemed status would buy some more time and close the existing credibility gap between the Ministries and the Veteran community. Unfortunately, there is nothing actually cheering from the outcome of the dialogue with them.
2. Going by precursors of failed hopes and promises, it is not out of place to suspect another sale of dummies and snippets designed to keep us at bay from using the occasion of the 2023 AFRD to announce to Nigerians and the world at large how unfairly some senior officers of the State have been treating us despite the dedication and benevolence of the President, Muhammadu Buhari to the plight of Veterans. This is the same gimmick they have successfully used in previous times, which is the reason the SDA matter has lingered until now because we believed them and showed maturity and understanding. Telling us now that the SDA payment has just been prioritized for release of funds and thus would be paid before 15 Jan 2023 can only be taken with a pinch of salt. Then, close to the celebration of the AFRD, they will conjure another excuse to justify failure to deliver. They had enough time all these while if they had empathy to prioritize the release of the fund and perfect formalities towards the payment to deserving beneficiaries. Their mission was definitely a strategy to stop our peaceful protest, as we continue to pray to be wrong.
3. It was expected that the content of a meeting like this for the sake of restoring confidence, integrity and transparency should have announced to the community whether the approved amount of N134.7B is to pay the full entitlement due to beneficiaries or just the first tranche, to also discuss the uncertainties around the template to be used, methods and considerations to be applied in determining the pay-cheque of each category of beneficiaries earlier identified. Mum has been the case on all these issues so that at the end of the day, some ridiculous amount would be paid to us with more questions than answers.
4. However, based on the uninspiring report of the last meeting with both Ministries coupled with slippery antecedents, the Veteran leadership is safely assuming the meeting never happened and thus maintaining the momentum of the planning towards the protest. Therefore, the Veteran community, after careful deliberation, resolved as follows hereunder:
a. *The Protest will Hold as Planned.* Both Ministries of Finance and Defense would be held liable and accountable for any embarrassment caused to the Govt of the Federation and/or the Presidency. The Veteran community remains very satisfied that over time, they have exercised extreme maturity, patience, tolerance, and understanding since the agitation for the SDA started following our exclusion from earlier and ongoing payments since 2019. Moreso, the Community has never ceased to be grateful and appreciative of the President's magnanimity towards our welfare even as we still appeal to both Ministries to complement President's compassion.
b. *Payment of the SDA in Tranches is Unacceptable* The SDA is a "Word of Honor," an assurance that debars the veteran from deploying his acquired military skills against the state. This payment subjects the veteran to prosecution should he ever compromise on his commitment to the state. Therefore, paying the SDA in trickles makes any meaningful and sustenable investment impossible, and so morally unjustifiable to hold any veteran accountable if he decides to sell his expertise to the highest bidder in a bid to sustain himself. Severance allowances are not paid to politicians in tranches. Retiring military personnel right now are not also paid SDA in meaningless tranches either. So, why trivialise the payment to the old veterans? Therefore, we strongly demand to be paid en bloc, the same manner other younger veterans are paid.
c. *Deadline is 31 Dec 2022.* Stop the lies, the deceits, perfidiousness, wickedness, and gimmicks! No more meetings, no more letters! We only wait for both Ministries to do the needful. We will believe them when we receive alerts before 31 Dec 2022 as earlier promised.
5. The die is cast!
Abiodun DUROWAIYE-HERBERTS
CCV Secretary/Spokesperson
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