***says no budgetary provision for programme in 2026 Appropriation Act

The Ministry of Defence has said that the delay in payment of outstanding arrears of allowances to House Officers and Interns in the Armed Forces reference hospitals arose because no budgetary provision was made for the programme in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Richard Pheelangwah, who made the disclosure in a statement on Monday, described the development as “unprecedented and the first occurrence since the inception of the programme”.

Pheelangwah said that reports alleging non-payment of allowances to House Officers and Interns at Armed Force Reference hospitals were inaccurate as the payment had commenced.

He said payments were made as follows: 26th March, 2026: Batches A and B – January and February 2026 Allowances, 30th April, 2026: Batches A and B – March 2026 Allowances, 8th July, 2026: Batches A and B – April 2026 Allowances; and Batch C – December 2025 and January 2026 Allowances.

Pheelangwah said efforts are ongoing to clear the remaining arrears as additional funds become available, and urged the public to disregard the misleading reports and rely only on official communications issued by the Ministry.

The Permanent Secretary further explained that the delay is attributable to the absence of budgetary allocation for the payment of the allowances since January 2026 and not to any administrative lapse on the part of the Ministry.

He said the Ministry had formally drawn the attention of the Budget Office of the Federation to the funding shortfall through its correspondence (Refs: AZ/150CON/I/42 dated 18 February 2026 and AZ/150CON/I/53 dated 1 July 2026) and requested the necessary intervention.

“A total of 703 House Officers and Interns were engaged for the 2025/2026 House Officers and Interns Programme. Batches A and B have been paid up to April 2026, while Batch C, comprising 90 House Officers and Interns, has been paid allowances for December 2025 and January 2026.”

He added that for over four decades, the House Officers and Interns Programme has remained a statutory and strategic component of the Ministry’s healthcare system, contributing significantly to the training of medical professionals for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the nation at large.

Pheelangwah said the Ministry remains fully committed to resolving the funding challenge and appreciated the patience, understanding, and dedication of the affected House Officers, Interns, and their families.