The Director-General, Defence Research and Development Bureau, Ubrufih Uzezi, on Tuesday, appealed to the National Assembly to increase its annual budgetary allocation for research and development.

Mr Uzezi made the appeal when the Senate Committee on Defence, led by its chairman, Senator Aliyu Wamakko visited the bureau in Abuja, for oversight.

Providing a breakdown of the bureau’s budget performance for 2019 and 2021, Mr Uzezi lamented the paucity of funds for research and called for more funds to be allocated to the bureau.

He said that an upward review of the funds for research would enable the military to effectively prosecute the war against insurgency in the North-East, as well as tackle other security challenges in other parts of the country.

“The money appropriated has been well spent and for the things we are doing, a lot has to do with funding to solve a lot of problems that our troops are facing in the North-East, North-West and North-Central – the issue of insurgency, banditry.

“For the 2019-2020 budget you will see that very paltry sum was given to research and development. Research and development cost a lot of money,” Mr Uzezi said.

“Our country is going through very challenging times and the armed forces is at the fore of resolving the challenges that we are facing.

“And for any armed forces to function effectively, they need equipment, they need capabilities that are technology-dependent.

“There is no country that can attain self-reliance in technology without research and development”.

In his opening remarks, Mr Wamakko said the visit was aimed at carrying out a first-hand assessment of the military facility with a view to understanding its challenges.

(NAN)