By FOLUSHO ALADE, ABUJA
Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) last Wednesday distributed COVID-19 palliative to 300 widows and orphans of fallen military heroes as well as physically challenged persons in Abuja.
The gesture, which was second of its kind, was part of the Association’s usual efforts in providing succour to the teeming population of vulnerable and less privileged persons in our society during this era of coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking while flagging off the exercise, the Special Guest of Honour, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), GENERAL ABAYOMI GABRIEL OLONISAKIN commended the leadership of DEPOWA for supporting government’s efforts in the provision of relief items and other incentives to cushion the economic hardship faced by vulnerable and less privileged persons since the outbreak of COVID-19.
The CDS, who was ably represented by the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Corporation, REAR ADMIRAL OBED NGALABAK, assured members of DEPOWA of the Defence Headquarters’ continuous support towards ensuring that the Association actualizes it’s numerous social intervention and humanitarian programmes towards empowering vulnerable women, widows, orphans and youth within Military and Police barracks.
According to the CDS, ” the Nigerian Armed Forces is much concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of the widows and orphans who are dependants of military personnel that died in the battle field”.
GENERAL OLONISAKIN urged the beneficiaries to ensure that they observe all the necessary COVID-19 protocols as stipulated by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control.
Earlier in her remarks, President of DEPOWA, DR (MRS) OMOBOLANLE OLONISAKIN, said the noble gesture was in line with the DEPOWA’s self-embarked obligations towards touching the lives of the vulnerable and the needy in the society.
MRS OLONISAKIN who was also represented by the Association’s Vice President, MRS ABIES OGHOMWEN, pledged to sustain the distribution of palliative throughout the period of the pandemic.
Items distributed to the widows, orphans and the physically challenged persons include rice, beans, noddles, vegetable oil and customized hand-sanitizers, amongst others.
It would be recalled that a total of 2000 households within military and police barracks as well as staff of DEPOWA Schools, Skills Acquisition and Vocational Centres benefited from the first phase of DEPOWA’s COVID-19 palliative in Abuja during the lockdown.
Since the assumption of the current leadership of DEPOWA, few years back, the Association has been augmenting the welfare programmes of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police, particularly, in the areas of self-empowerment programmes, social intervention schemes and humanitarian services.
