Defence Minister assures military retirees of prompt payment of allowances

The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has assured that the allowances of legionnaires will be paid promptly by government as part of efforts to ensure their welfare.

Dan-Ali gave the assurance on Sunday in an interview with newsmen shortly after the ceremony to commemorate the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

He said that the need to promptly pay them informed the introduction of identity card for military retirees in 2016, adding that their allowances had been improved upon.

He encouraged the troops in the frontline in the North-East to continue to give their best.

Also, in an interview, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, commended the troops for doing their best for the nation.

“I will use this opportunity to commend our troops in the various operations, both the one within Nigeria and outside of Nigeria.

“They have been doing creditably well and we appreciate their contributions to peace both within and outside.

“I enjoin them to continue to do more, to be more professional, to be more diligent and also, to be more hard working in all their duty posts,’’ he said.

Mrs Veronica Aluko, the Chairperson of widows of fallen heroes, also commended the armed forces for taking care of families of officers and men who had paid the supreme sacrifice in defence of the nation.

“The armed forces have done a lot; they have even recognised us and given us a name,’’ she said but appealed for empowerment of widows through skills acquisition.

Retired Col. Micah Gaya, the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, urged government not to relent in supporting the legion so that they could in turn assist dependents of fallen heroes.

“The fact of the matter is that we know that this day is celebrated every year.

“But what we are looking forward to is the improvement that will follow, in terms of being able to help the widows, the dependents of the fallen heroes, not just the ceremonial part of it.

“That is why I will appeal to government to assist the Nigerian Legion so that we will be able to meet with our constitutional responsibilities of taking care of the dependents of the fallen heroes,’’ Gaya said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari led other top government officials including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, to lay wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldiers.

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NAN reports that the president spoke through video conference with troops in the North-East and commended them for dislodging the terrorists from their last strong hold in the Sambisa forest, thereby “restoring the sanity and territorial integrity of the nation’’.

He also spoke to Nigerian troops serving in the UN Peace Keeping Mission in Liberia and assured that the last contingents of the nation’s troops in that country would return home in 2018.