The National Assembly has pledged more support for families of Nigeria’s fallen heroes as the country marks the 2024 Armed Forces and Remembrance Day.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio made this known in an interview with State House Correspondents soon after the laying of wreaths in commemoration of the day.
He said: “Today’s ceremony is just to signify to all of them that they are not alone, that we also mourn with them and we continue to pray for God Almighty to console them and provide for the children and their siblings that they have left behind.
“And again, the presence of all of us is also a major significance that yes, indeed, the government of the day would never let them mourn alone and I will do everything possible to ensure that their welfare is taken care of, and that this event reduces the calamities that we are seeing in our country.”
Similarly, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, pledged that the entire National Assembly will not leave the families of the falling heroes alone.
“They should know that what they are doing is a noble cause and we will be with them all the way. We will support them all the way; I will ensure that their siblings are not left alone.
“That is a commitment from the National Assembly, as you have learned from our Senate President. We will do everything humanly possible to improve the welfare of the families of the fallen heroes and the active men and women in the field,” he added.
Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru,who also pledged support for the families of war veterans, also used the opportunity to thank President Bola Tinubu for supporting the families of those who died in service of their father land.
According to the Minister, “First we have to thank the President for all the support and the love he showed for the fallen heroes and their families. He has been very supportive and we try as much as possible to take care of them by every means and way.”
He also gave a word of encouragement to serving military personnel saying “they should keep working very hard and rid us of the menace of the security challenges in the country and I think they are doing wonderfully well now.
“Well, I believe we have said it several times, we will do our best and we have all the support from Mr. President to support the family of the fallen heroes in every way and manner possible.”
Predicament
The National President, Military Widows Association (MiWA), Mrs. Veronica Aluko, who also spoke to Journalists, noted with dismay that the day reminds widows of fallen heroes of their predicaments.
She said: “Today refreshes the mourning in us. We are remembering today that these people left us for real. And the significance of today is remembering their sacrifice, which is not in vain. That gives us more strength, that since they are not forgotten, they didn’t die in vain.
“So celebrating them today tells us that the lives they laid in defence of Nigeria are remembered by all. It is something to be remembered. Some have died and they’re forgotten. But remembering them tells us that the sacrifice they made is honoured.”
Mrs. Aluko used the opportunity to call on government and the well to do in the society to come to their aid.
“We don’t want to go cap-in-hand begging because if you beg today, tomorrow people will shut their doors at you. So, we wrote to the former President that we want to be selling little things, to partner with some of these unions to sell little things to generate revenue, like tickets. Some states have given us approval, like Osun state, the Governor gave us approval to sell in the State. And we say thank you to him.
“Delta State is coming on board, by the time we raise a little money there and we start giving these women a source of livelihood. Some of them can do menial jobs and we pay them from there. So, our children can have hope of going to school from these things we are selling. We collaborate with the police so that we can help even the widows outside to lessen this burden.”
Allowances
The Chairman of Nigerian Legion, retired Major General Abdulmalik Jibrin, noted that It was befitting to set aside a special day in remembrance of the supreme price paid by deceased members of the Armed Forces.
“This day is specially set aside for members of the Armed Forces to serve two purposes; one to celebrate the end of the Nigerian Civil War and also to celebrate those who are living, who have served and have left the military and including those who are serving.
“The second part is to remember those who made the supreme sacrifice during the First and Second World Wars through other international engagements coming down to operations that we had in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, and under United Nations and the African Union,” he explained.
The Chairman also used the opportunity to solicit for more support for war veterans who are still alive.
“I want in addition to the government creating this day, the government should continue to enhance the well-being of those who have served and left; the families of the fallen heroes, including those who are serving. So, the government should not get tired of looking at the welfare of veterans, especially when it’s related to the increase of salary of serving members of the Armed Forces.
“There should be a corresponding increase in the pensions of those who have served and left. The families of the fallen heroes, actually after the demise of the loved ones, they are left. After giving them the entitlement of gratuity and death benefit, they are left in the hands of the Nigerian Legion.
“But the Nigerian Legion is not well grounded in terms of finances, to be able to shoulder the enormous responsibilities of looking after all the families of the fallen heroes,” he appealed.
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