National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno has said soldiers serving without access to digital payment services will be negatively affected by the naira redesign policy.
Gatekeepers News reports that Babagana said this when he appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on the currency redesign and naira swap policy on Thursday.
The NSA, who was represented by the Director in the office of the NSA in Charge of Defence Affairs, Abubakar Mustapha said there is a need to review the policy which has resulted in the scarcity of the naira notes.
At the meeting on Thursday, the House Majority Leader and Chair of the Committee, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa asked the NSA to brief the lawmakers on how the CBN policies are affecting the “security apparatus”.
Ado-Doguwa said, “It is the belief of this committee that the policy would have in one way or the other certain implications to the security apparatus or security architecture of the country, especially when we are facing elections.
“In this guise, we will expect you to let the committee know what you guys are into, the level of your preparedness in terms of being proactive as to how this policy could not be able to affect some of your statutory mandates.”
In response, the NSA said the policy has affected soldiers who are deployed in areas that lack access to digital alternatives for payments.
He said, “Globally — military operations, even in first world countries — such policies, if not properly well thought out will affect. Some of our soldiers are deployed in places where they cannot actually access digital means of paying for their daily subsistence.
“It is important that this committee sits down and articulates better ways of actually addressing these issues.”
After the NSA remarks, the committee went into a closed-door session.
