By Peter Okolie
Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo has called for the establishment of a National Armed Forces Dedicated Fund to cater for the needs of veterans and families of fallen heroes.
Uzodimma made the call at the commemoration of this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at the Ndubuisi Kanu Square, Owerri on Sunday.
The governor, who urged the National Assembly to consider the bill establishing the Fund, said it could be modelled after the TETFund that was intervening in the country’s tertiary education.
Uzodimma said: “I am calling on the National Assembly for the establishment of a national armed forces dedicated fund to ensure that these veterans and their families and the families of the dead can be catered for without season, for all seasons.
“If the legislation is in place, the federal, state and local governments as well as corporate organisations will each contribute some percentage of their resources to this fund.
“With this pool of resources, we can take care of the education of the children of our fallen heroes as well as the veterans who fought for us.
“I believe that this will motivate our security personnel to continue to put in their best.
“In addition, it will also motivate many more Nigerians into voluntarily joining the armed forces,” he added.
The governor said the occasion was to remember and honour the gallantry, valour, heroism and immense sacrifices of compatriots, who lost their lives or got hurt while flying the flag of Nigeria.
“It is remarkable that for more than 50 years, these extra-ordinary Nigerians have laboured to secure our country and in the course of performing this duty, some of them have lost their lives while some of them have been maimed.
“As a consequence, some of them are now dependent on others for survival.
“It was in appreciation of the supreme sacrifices of these rare breed Nigerians that a grateful nation like Nigeria instituted the annual Armed force Remembrance Day in honour of not only the dead but the living and their families,”.
He urged Nigerians not to look at the indifference but focus on the significance of the quantum sacrifices being made by service men and women and treat it as national responsibility.
“I urged all well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations to assist with their widow’s might so that together we can improve the quality of lives of those our heroes for the sake of posterity,” he said.
The governor commended the invaluable contributions of the armed forces towards the restoration of peace in the state.
The governor promised to continue to support the military and other security agencies in the state in ensuring that they got the needed logistics for effective discharge of their duties.
The governor also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support in the fight against insecurity in the country.
Uzodimma, who earlier delivered similar message at Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri, called for more prayers for members of the armed forces and security agencies fighting insecurity both internally and externally.
Earlier in a sermon at a Holy Mass at Assumpta Catholic Cathedral, Owerri to mark the Day, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, called for functional pension scheme for all soldiers to enable them cater for their needs and those of their dependants.
“It is a mark of honour to always remember the sacrifices soldiers make for their fatherland and to adequately remunerate those who make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of one and all,” he said. (NAN)
