By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
National President , Nigeria Army Officers Wives Association ( NAOWA) and Wife of the Chief of Army Staff, Mrs Salamatu F. Yahaya has solicited the support of Sokoto state government to effectively drive the organ’s development initiatives for the benefit of families in army barracks community and the less privilege across the country.
Mrs Yahaya made the request Monday while on a courtesy visit to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal where she explained that NAOWA was primarily established to responsively assist the poor and the needy especially within the barracks community and the nation as a whole.
According to her, NAOWA was desirous of building and strengthening avenues towards effective collaboration with relevant governments, agencies and associations in order to enhance the quality of lives of the down trodden.
She told the governor that the visit was to further intimate him of the human oriented activities of the association aimed at touching lives of the indigent in the areas of education empowerment and other socio-economic and vocational related needs that would benefit them .
” We are here to crave your indulgence and support to the association . We acknowledge your untiring desire for infrastructure development. We recall in 2018, you supported the establishment of a command secondary school in the Giginya Barracks. We are grateful for that”, She commended.
Sokoto state Governor Aminu Tambuwal noted that Nigeria was faced with enormous and critical challenges of insecurity, added ” the army and Nigeria in particular need fervent prayers to overcome the evil forces behind nations’s predicament.”
He however, noted that the COAS came at a time the country was experiencing enormous challenges , though, acknowledged that some successes were being recorded with clusters of the Book Haram insurgents presenting and surrendering selves to the army in Borno state” we are hoping to see more surrendering.”
Tambuwal who further noted that NAOWA’s objectives were common and similar to what were being piloted in states, said it was incumbent on state governments to support the association to succeed, pledging to take the campaign across his counterparts.
” I will personally pilot the campaign across to my colleagues to support your noble course for the good and benefit of Nigerians especially families in the barracks community”, he assured.
Meanwhile, the NAOWA President who after paying a similar visit to the Sultan, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar in his palace behind closed doors,
laid the foundation stone for the construction of a block of six class rooms and two offices as extension of Nursery and Primary schools at the Giginya barracks of the 8 Division Sokoto.
In the same, the President presented assorted food items and cooking oil to 120 widows who lost their husbands as a result of insurgency and other accidental occurrences while in active service.
Similarly, She extended same gesture to Lugga Tsara community and wives of soldiers in the barracks.
Earlier in her welcome address, Chairperson Sokoto NAOWA Chapter, Mrs Glory Bassey commended the National President for her giant steps towards sustaining the tempo of infrastructural development in the barracks community where challenges of infrastructure was needing attention.
She added” I am optimistic that your steps symbolises good omen . We are glad to have functional secretariats and vocational centre that will drive the basic needs of the barracks community”, pointed out Bassey.
