365NEWS gathered that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Defense, weekend, began the enrollment of veterans, windows and orphans of fallen heroes into the national safety net for fuel subsidy palliative.
Flagging off the exercise at Aguiyi Ironsi Conference Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, said that no veteran or family of fallen heroes would be left out in the on-going distribution of palliative following the removal of fuel subsidy.
He said that the exercise which commenced in Abia would go round the 36 states and Abuja, assuring veterans and families of fallen heroes that Government has their interest at heart.
The Defense Minister who was represented by the Director in Joint Services, Ministry of Defence, Dr Jude Alozie, further assured that all government economic programmes would be open to all veterans, families of fallen heroes and their dependants.
He stressed that the current administration was passionate about their welfare.
“This is the first time there’s been a deliberate attempt to capture veterans and we know that it will only get better. We are trying to create a national safety register for veterans and with this enrolment, you’ll be entitled to all programmes of the federal government”.
In a remark, the Chief of Defense Staff, Major General Christopher Musa, represented by Brigadier General Caius Baushe, urged the veterans to take the enrollment seriously and ensure they are captured so as to benefit from the packages.
Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of Nigerian Legion, Maj Gen Abdulmalik Jubril (retd.), commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the gesture, saying it was the first time veterans would be remembered in social safety net.
He said the gesture would tremendously help to mitigate the plights of veterans and families of fallen heroes.
Gen. Jubril, noted that veterans and families of fallen heroes deserve assistance in view of their sacrifices for the security of the country.
He explained that each household would receive N25,000 for three months, adding that it will help cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking earlier, the Abia State Chairman of Nigerian Legion, Commander Ambrose Nnabugwu (retd ), said the programme was aimed at assuaging the hardship and suffering caused by the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.
He commended President Tinubu for extending the fuel subsidy palliative to members of the Nigeria Legion and family members of fallen heroes.
Nnabugwu also commended the Federal Government for launching the programme in Abia, and urged veterans in the state to ensure they were property captured.
In an interview, one of the veterans, Staff Sergeant Kalu Ndem (retd.), thanked the Federal Government for the palliative but observed it would not make much impacts considering the prevailing economic hardship in the country.
He said that the depreciation of the Naira had rendered monetary disbursement to Nigerians almost useless as it would make little or no difference.
He rather suggested that the Federal Government should first focus on how to revive the economy and create jobs for the children of the fallen heroes and other Nigerians instead of occasional cash transfers.
” Focus on reviving the economy. Nigeria can’t be living on borrowing. This is a ritual and every administration comes up with its own programme. But the best will be to fix the economy and make it work for everybody.
” Revamp the moribund companies, create job for the youths, give jobs to families of fallen heroes. Teach their children how to fish and not to be giving them fish”.
In an interview, Mrs Ngozi Izundu, widow of the late Sergeant Nathaniel Izundu, who said her husband died in 2020, commended the Federal Government for the gesture, which she said would reduce their hardship.
She said that ” things are really hard” adding that with the exercise, their burden would be relieved