The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association, DEPOWA has empowered 126 women with skills acquisition.
The Nigerian Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo made this known during the Graduation Ceremony of Batches 12 and 13 Trainees of DEPOWA Skills Acquisition in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The trainees were given starter kits, stipends and one year’s rent payment
The Naval Chief said that “Empowering women to be more productive in creating income and in opportunities towards the attainment of sustainable livelihood is best to reflect on critical issues of unemployment in the country.”
He noted that this unique empowerment program was made possible under the Leadership of the DEPOWA President, Mrs. Vickie Irabor
The Naval Chief commended this position and doggedness of the Defence and Police Wives Association towards sustaining this remarkable employment initiative for self dependence and to make Nigerians less reliant on charity and alms.
He congratulated the grandaunts for this spectacular achievement adding that what they have acquired from this centre is no small feat.
Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo charged them to put proper use and with determination, diligence as well as honesty as the future is bright.
He urged the DEPOWA President to put house monitoring mechanism.
“There there should be a platform instituted to monitor the progress of all graduates of this very important institution. So under you all to make sure that you hold a national charity and put to good use the starter kit that is given to you today. Therefore as I fully set with you, I also wish to inspire you with an adage by a Chinese philosopher, Lao Shu and I quote, Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. But teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
He appreciated their zeal and diligence towards their aspiration while noting that unemployment is prevalent among youths most of which are females.
According to him, unemployment breeds insecurity including prostitution, and trafficking, amongst other vices
“Mitigating crisis of unemployment is an important consideration for national security adding that undeniably, one of the facts or ways to ameliorate this challenge is to invest in entrepreneurship programs”.
He reassured them that the Navy would not relax in its supportive roles towards sustaining the objectives of the Association.
The Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor represented by the Chief of Civil Military Affairs, DHQ, Rear Admiral Adeshoya Ayobanjo said that the Defence Headquarters has always supported the initiatives of the DEPOWA, such as the establishment of the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Center in Abuja as part of efforts of ending PTSD among personnel due to the hazard in their profession.
“They also contributed to several humanitarian activities, such as distribution of food and medical items to widows, orphans were killed in vigorous counterterrorism counterinsurgency operations and other internal security”.
The Defence Chief said that “DEPOWA has contributed in reducing unemployment among the youths and women in their barracks, and thereby enhancing national security and development”.
He noted that the grandaunts must have demonstrated genuine discipline and keen interest throughout the program to have been able to acquire the skills they were exposed to.
“To provide you the graduates with starter packs for your various treats, as well as the stipends and the one year rent. So I encourage you not to give the starter packs away for any reason, but to put them to effective use, to sell them will be tantamount to selling your future. I look forward to seeing some of you being employers of labour in the near future”.
He congratulated the President of DEPOWA and the Executive for the positive completion of yet another laudable program.
Earlier, the President of DEPOWA, Mrs Vickie Irabor said that “Graduating a diverse group of women who have experienced real pain and have come out stronger as the life of a loved one were caught short, in their service to the nation can never be erased from memory”.
She thanked the Chief of Defence Staff, General lucky her husband for sponsoring the programs, “They appreciate his position that military wives when empowered can do a lot to support their husbands in their work”.
