Daily Independent (Lagos)
Oladele Ogunsola
8 January 2009
Retired soldiers across the country have been called upon to embrace various welfare schemes introduced by the federal, state and local governments as well as non-governmental organisations to improve on their standard of living.
The call was made by the Oyo State Governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala, at the launch of this year's Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration held at the Western Hall of the Parliament Building, Agodi, Ibadan on Tuesday.
It was organised by an association of retired soldiers, Nigerian Legion.
By embracing the schemes, the governor expressed the hope that the welfare of dependants of the retired soldiers would also be enhanced while jobs would equally be created for members of the association.
Said Akala: "It is my fervent hope that you will venture into various sustainable economic enterprises wherein the legion will not only be financially-empowered but also have various jobs created for the ex-servicemen."
He assured the ex-servicemen that his administration would not rest on its oars but continue with vigour in the pursuit of activities that would promote good health, progress, development and improvement of the social well-being of the Nigerian Legion.
Making a donation of N3 million to the association, the Oyo State helmsman appealed to industrialists, commercial firms and philantrophists to donate generously to the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem Appeal Fund organised as part of the celebration, saying that "such donations would enable the legion to support the physically-challenged veterans and the less privileged ex-servicemen and women."
"Nothing done for the families of our fallen heroes and heroines can be too much," he added.
In his welcome address, Oyo State Chairman of the legion, Kayode Adigun, said the occasion was to demonstrate the appreciation of the country to the fallen heroes for the sacrifice they made for the unity of this country, adding that "the people being remembered on yearly basis were those who made sacrifice for the unity of this country through their membership of the Nigerian Armed Forces."
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