As Nigeria marked the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the State chairman /Commandant, Nigerian Legion, Enugu Council, Asst. Commandant General, Emeka Norman Igwesi, has called on government at all levels to make policies that are humane and treat all sections of the country equitably, to reduce agitations and grievances in the country.
He made the call in an interview during the celebration of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day , held on Saturday at the Michael Okpara square, Enugu.
Igwesi observed that the insecurity in the country presently, is as a result of injustice ,unfair treatment meted on some sections of the country. To reduce the state of insecurity in the country, the chairman said, “Grievances and agitations are normal as much as we can do that in a more peaceful and meaningful way.
Government should see themselves as people in a position of trust. People who have been given responsibility to do onbehalf of others. They should do things that are good and acceptable to the people. Any. Unit that has issues of complaint, government should address it in a peaceful way.
“Government policies should not only be humane but must also be equitable. No section should be cheated ,No section should be treated as inferior to other. Everybody should be given his due, that’s what goverment should do .Let there be Justice and people would be happy.
“There is duty on the part of goverment also on the part of the people, so that everybody would be happy because it’s when everybody is happy that there won’t be choas in the society.
Igwesi, who spoke on the unity and the security challenges in the country, advised Nigerians to individually and collectively see that there is a reason to keep the country together.
“We should have reasons to keep the country together, we should see that there is a reason for us to maintain peace and stability in the country”.
On the significance of the Armed Forces Rememberance Day celebration, the chairman said that “it is a period set aside to remember the fallen heroes. A period to encourage those who have been working seriously to defend and protect this country.
“It is a period set aside by the Nigerian government to remember these armed forces, fallen heroes who died in active services and those who successfully served and retired meritoriously, the living heroes and to encourage those who are still in active service, then we have reasons and motivations,.What more? We have the widows of fallen heroes and dependants of fallen heroe., So, it’s a period set aside to remember those who defended this country “.
On the fulfilment of government’s promises to the families and dependants of the fallen heroes, Igwesi said, ” If we are being specific with Enugu state government, the wives of fallen heroes and the dependants of fallen hereos are happy with the state government. Even today the governor extended alms to them.
He advised states which are not doing much for the families and dependants of fallen heroes to queue in , to queue into the fallen heroes’ program.
On the welfare of the members of the Nigerian Legion,
Igwesi said that their pensions were paid, though there are other issues.
“There are so many things we want the government to do and.there are other things the government is supposed to do. We are not saying that the government is not doing. Like pension, they are coming but how adequate is the pension? Other privileges, other prescribed entitlements specified in which the Government supposed to pay
, has the government been doing that at different levels?Some of them goverment has not been doing. That’s why sometimes you see veterans, ex- servicemen agitating and protesting , just like the recent one last week in Abuja”, he said.
Highlight of the event was the release of symbolic pigeon and laying of wreaths for the fallen heroes by Enugu State Governor and others.
Those who laid wreaths include Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Div. Nigerian Army, Maj-General Taoreed Lagbaja represented by the Garrison Commander, Maj-Gen ChristopherAtaki.
Others include Air Officer Commanding, Nigeria Air Force, Enugu Vice Air Marshal, Ibikunle Daramola, the Speaker Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr. Edward Ubosi, the Acting Chief Judge of Enugu State Mr. Reymond Ozoemena,
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu, Abubakar Lawal, chairman Nigeria Legion, Enugu Council, Asst.Cmdt.General Emeka Igwesi, the chairman Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzo and the chairperson, wives of the fallen heroes in Enugu who wept uncontrollably as she laid a wreath for their dead husbands.
