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…Says Reckoning With Heroes, Heroines of Democracy will Make it a Complete Metamorphosis

The Coalition for A Better Nigeria has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the inclusion of veterans, families often fallen heroes in Federal Government’s conditional cash transfer and other social intervention programmes.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, and foremost June 12 activist, Comrade Awa Bamiji, the Coalition noted that “It is highly commendable that for the first time in history of the Federal Government welfare Programme, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has now included vulnerable ex-service men, Widows and dependants of fallen Heroes in the National Social Register to benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer and other Social Intervention Programmes but it must be all inclusive, based on our own objective view.”

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu had disclosed the decision of the Federal Government during an official visit to the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, Tuesday, in Abuja.

Edu had said that the federal government has expanded the welfare scheme to accommodate ex-service men, their widows and dependants in fulfilment of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians.

The Minister noted that the new innovation became necessary to include those who paid the supreme price for the sustainance of the peace of the country and their dependants to serve as a morale booster for those currently securing the country.

She sought for the accurate data of the affected ex- servicemen and their dependants to enable them to be captured in the ongoing national social register verification

She said, ”This scheme is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu renewed hope agenda and I am here to inform you that the programe has been expanded to accommodate retired personnel of Ministry of Defence mostly families of those who lost their lives in the course of defending the country.”

She noted that “Their wives can use this to startup small businesses that will help their children stay in school and provide basic health care and even sustain the families. Of course, Hon Minister Sir, this gusture is not only limited to the N75,000 per household.”

The Minister further said that the federal government has created Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) which is geared towards helping Small Scale Businesses and boosting the welfare of Nigeria market women and farmers which the ex- service men and widows can key into.

Dr Edu equally called on the Ministry of Defence to collaborate with Humanitarian Ministry to ensure President Bola Ahmed succeeds in eradicating poverty in Nigeria.

She reiterated her Ministry’s readiness to ensure that those who served the country meritoriously and died in active service are not left behind in the scheme, The minister also requested the Minister of Defence to provide adequate security cover for Humanitarian workers while going about to carry out their national assignment in all the States prone to insecurity.

In his response, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, had said that the visit was timely and thanked Dr Edu for including the retirees in the welfare scheme which he said, will go a long way to renewed the hope of retired officers and their families and motivate the working officers to secure the Nigeria territororial integrity.

The Defence Miniser who was flanked by his Minister of State, Bello Mattawale, said be rest assured that the Defence Ministry will collaborate with its Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation counterpart to ensure proper coordination of the scheme.

In his words, he said, “We want you to send our sincere appreciation to Mr. President for doing the exceptional by considering us, we thank him for giving you this opportunity to help the nation and also we thank God for giving you the opportunity to be innovative on the job that you’re doing.

“When you met the Chief of Defence Staff, the words came round that you are supporting the military, all our team became delighted and happy” he said.

On his part, Chairman of Nigeria Legion, Major General Abdulmalik Jubril (RTD), thanked President Bola Tinubu and Dr Edu, for the new innovation, saying “this has never happened before”

He said Nigeria Legion is the last hope for retired officers which he said keep increasing in numbers.

The legion he said will need health care, welfare and livelihood for its members, saying “This organ of the Military (Army, Airforce and Navy) retirees needs government support, such gesture like this has not been given to us before including wives and families of the fallen heros”.

In its reaction, the Coalition for A Better Nigeria said, “We, Coalition for A Better Nigeria appreciate the supreme price paid at war front by these ex service men or military fallen Heroes, It’s common belief that the extended scheme must also cover our Heroes and Heroines of Democracy (living and dead), their Widows and their dependants, apart from the military ex – service men mentioned above, their widows and dependants because an attempt to ignore this noble class of Civilians, most especially in a democratic setting like this, won’t speak well of these humble and geniune efforts.

“As an Organisation with national outlook, which has been celebrating these Heroes and Heroines (living and dead) one by one for decades, we are more than ready to partner with our dear Sister, Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, to ensure her historic success in this sensitive area of Democracy”, the Coalition said.