Security: We’re short of manpower, funding -– Defence minister

The armed forces is experiencing manpower shortage and inadequate funding.

Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen Bashir Magashi (retd) made the disclosure during a presentation at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari. yesterday.

“We spoke about our shortcomings. We talked about manpower shortage, inadequate funding for the Ministry of Defence. We talked about all the operations we have been conducting, the successes and failures of each of the operations right from Operation Lafia Dole to Operation Tawase.

“The shortcomings of each of the operations were discussed and God so kind, contributions were made by members of the council and I think in no distant time there will be a change in the conduct of our affairs in the ministry.”

Minister of Environment, Mohammad Abubakar, said he also presented the ministerial performance of report.

He said the ministry is cleaning up 21 plus 36 sites impacted with hydrocarbon in Ogoni, Rivers State.

The minister said 775 jobs have been created in Ogoni clean with more on the way. He said there was a programme to train 400 women in agriculture, aquaculture and poultry as way to improve the living standard of the people. He said planting of 25 million trees is in the forefront in collaboration with the state governments.

Abubakar said out of 774,000 jobs that President Buhari approved to be created, the ministry of environment as one of the implementing agencies is to employ 200,000 skilled and unskilled labour, another 2000 through the erosion department. He said the ministry will also create jobs in the area of waste recycling.

“It is no longer fashionable to just produce, use and dispose because the planet is getting too choked up with pollutants. We are very big in recycling. Finally, we are big in erosion control which you all know is a big problem in the South East.”

He said post-COVID-19, the ministry is working to reduce the emission from carbondioxide from generators and other gaseous emissions behind climate change.

He said about 4,000 jobs will be created and their main mandate will be to keep tab on emissions including vehicular emissions. He said the ministry is also targeting to create 32 jobs from recycling of engine oil from motorcycles and other vehicles to produce diesel, which can in turn be reused.