Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA) President, Mrs Oghogho Gwabin Musa (wife of the Chief of Defence Staff of Nigeria, General Christopher Musa) led members of her national executives on a courtesy visit to the Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt Barracks, where they were hosted by Major General Jamal Abdussalam, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South South, Operation DELTA SAFE.
According to Mrs. Musa, the main goals of the visit were to inform the GOC and his troops of the excellent work that they had done in the Niger Delta, to show him what DEPOWA was up to, and to ask for assistance in order to help the association succeed.
According to her, the Association was established as a body that unites the spouses of active members of the police and armed forces and has the responsibility of making sure that wives take responsibility for their husbands’ actions when they confront difficulties while performing their duties.
She continued by saying that DEPOWA has changed over the years to become an organisation dedicated to maximising the potential of every woman in the military community. She claimed that by doing this, they give their wives a strong support structure and so contribute in the expansion and advancement of society.
Mrs. Oghogho went on to say that the association’s primary goal is to guarantee a robust and well-rounded military and law enforcement community, emphasising the group’s exceptional peculiarity. This is demonstrated by the cooperative organisation in which the vice presidents of the DEPOWA are the presidents of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Nigerian Navy Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), Nigerian Air Force Officers’ Association, and Nigerian Police Officers’ Wives Association (NAPOWA).
She stated that the association had trained around 105 young people and widows from the garrison communities in various sectors at the association’s skill acquisition centre in Abuja over the previous seven months.
In response, the GOC thanked her and her group for coming and complimented the Association on reaching such a high level. He applauded the initiative to provide palliative care to the widows of 6 Division’s fallen heroes, saying it is a very positive step to have a group of that size assist the widows.
Major General Abdussalam went on to say that anyone from outside the barracks community who could help in any way to improve the lives of the widows and children there would be greatly appreciated and welcomed, as they are the most vulnerable members of the community.
Gen. Abdussalam praised the DEPOWA for its many humanitarian efforts and urged them to get more involved in raising awareness of drug misuse, sexual assault, and other vices among the young people living in the barracks, as well as to encourage improved orientation among them.
In carrying out the humanitarian support for the training of children and widows of the deceased heroes as well as the Barracks communities at large, the GOC promised the Division’s support. He claimed that doing this is a noble deed that will keep them occupied and let them to work hard, support themselves, and make their own contributions to the development of the country.
He praised and thanked the DEPOWA President for her generosity in initiating the scheduled delivery of palliative care from the South South, noting that soldiers in the Niger Delta face numerous risks that could result in casualties.
The group photos, the souvenir exchange, and the tree planting in support of the 6 Division biodiversity initiative were the highlights of the visit.
Discover more from Atlantic Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.