ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE: Council Chairman Gifts Cash, Material Palliatives To Widows . . . Ben Eke’s Administration Is Legionnaires Friendly- Legionnaires Chairman
3 min read
by Oyagiri Chime-emele
The Executive Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, Hon (Barr) Ben Eke, has gifted Legionnaires and widows cash and material palliatives as part of activities commemorating this year Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Eke, who gave the gifts, Monday, January 15, during this year’s armed forces remembrance day ceremony at Ahoada Town, said the token was to show appreciation for the sacrifice the once gallant men had paid in bringing about peace in the country and the world at large.
The LGA Boss stressed that the pains of losing a breadwinner in the face of the challenging economic realities cannot be over emphasized, hence his administration’s deliberate efforts to accommodate the veterans’interests in terms of palliatives, poverty alleviation and skills acquisition programmes.
He emphasized that the ex-servicemen, even in retirement continue to assist in nation building by sharing their wealth of experience in intelligence gathering to fight insecurity and other societal vices.
Eke used the opportunity to thank the security agencies in the LGA for their efforts and resolve to curb insecurity, and assured them of his administration’s continuous logistics support.
He declared that Ahoada East LGA is peaceful, and however acknowledged that there are pockets of breaches in the security network, which he said, is always noticed in every clime.
He called on the youths in the LGA to embrace and key into his administration’s various human capacity building programmes and desist from crime and criminalities, warning that no efforts would be spared to apprehend and bring defaulters to justice.
Earlier,the chairman of the Nigeria Legion, Ahoada East Area Council, Major Amanukpo Johnson Eyi (Rtd), described the administration of the present executive chairman, Hon (Barr) Ben Eke as the most friendly.
Major Eyi, who stated that they are retired but not tired, stressed that the Legionnaires would always ask for support, employment and financial assistance from the council, private companies, good spirited individuals.
He thanked the council boss for his numerous support to the veterans and the dividend of democracy he has bequeathed to the people through skills acquisition, road projects, sporting activities, schools renovations, amongst others.
Major Eyi assured the chairman of judicious use of the cash gift and palliatives given to them.
The armed forces remembrance day is an annual event to commemorate and honour our fallen and living heroes that have sacrificed to bring peace in the world and especially in our nation.
Highlights of this year’s celebration was a minute silence in honour of the slayed Ahoada Divisional Police Officer, SP Bako Agbashime, march past and parade by officers and men of the Nigeria Legion, NYSC, Royal Bridgade and Neighborhood Watch, laying of Wreath and cash gifts and donations of foams, buckets and blankets to widows of the veterans.
