The ongoing military operations against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements have continue to drain government resources, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Lydia Jafiya, said on Thursday.
Jafiya said peace is desperately desired across the country to have a thrivinh economy.
The top government functionary made the disclsoure while delivering a lecture titled, “Managing Financial Resources in the Face of Rising Contemporary Security Challenges: Federal Government Financial Reforms in Perspective”, at the Nigerian Air Force Finance Seminar 2024, in Abuja
She said: “In this respect, citizens’ security must be given its rightful place as it helps in minimizing crime and creating the right environment for investments and growth.
“Peace-development nexus is a roadmap to progress, and it is required in defining our engagement from the Military and fiscal policy perspectives, the connection between security and Public Financial Management is symbiotic.
“Without security, economic activities are stifled, revenue generation suffers, and the capacity of the Nation and Sub-nationals to finance its operations, including security, diminishes.
“Conversely, without sound Public Financial Management (PFM), the resources needed to address security challenges effectively cannot be mobilized.”
Jafiya said President Tinubu’s administration introduced financial reforms that were audacious to promote accountability, transparency and fiscal discipline, thus ensuring the effective delivery of goods and services to the citizenry.
She commended the NAF for fostering a culture of accountability in the management of its finances through capacity building of its personnel in charge of managing the funds.
According to her, the financial management, procurement processes, and audit functions should also be aligned with the Federal Government’s financial reforms.
She added that this would ensure that the military and security agencies have personnel who are tactically proficient and possess an understanding of the various financial reforms in their day-to-day operations.
Jafiya advised that the military should place a greater emphasis on the outputs and outcomes that are expected to be delivered based on the public funds they receive, and determine whether the requested resources are commensurate with the objectives to be achieved.
“They should begin to undertake their activities using the non-kinetic method which is less expensive and more friendly.”
She described the military as a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian project, not just on the battlefield, but in the broader context of national development and sustainability, hence its “commitment, discipline, and strategic thinking are essential as the nation strives to overcome its myriads of challenges to create prosperity for all.’’
Jafiya assured the NAF that the Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda was “willing, able, and ready” to support it, and indeed other security agencies in maintaining the nation’s sovereign integrity.
