The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, on Thursday commended the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) for organising empowerment programmes for widows and orphans.
The CNS who was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Oladele Daji; gave the commendation at the empowerment programme held at the Navy Town, Ojo , for 25 widows and orphans.
He said that such empowerment would help the beneficiaries to become self reliant and live a better life.
The CNS then implored NOWA to reach out to philanthropists to support its skill acquisition and empowerment programme.
“I want to enjoin NOWA to keep up the wonderful work as well as reach out to well-to-do and well-meaning individuals and organisations to support this laudable programme.
“Through that, it will be sustained accordingly.’’
He also felicitated with NOWA for the noble programme.
“I will like to say that the theme of this event is very apt as most of us are aware that a large number of Nigerians are living in extreme poverty.
“Widows as well as orphans make a great percentage of this figure; we know the challenges that widows face in the society as well as orphans in losing their loved ones at any age.
“And this has severe impact on their well being and psychology. This event, I believe will go a long way to reassure the widows and orphans that NOWA cares for them.
“It will also ameliorate the feeling of loneliness, social isolation, exclusion and hardship they are forced into due to the losses of their loved ones.
“ It is, therefore, a most welcomed development,” he said.
Ibas said that NOWA should not relent in the good work of reassuring the widows, orphans and less privileged that they were not alone.
The CNS also acknowledged the past efforts by NOWA which he said had led to building support network with love, empathy around widows, orphans and the less privileged.
He also urged the beneficiaries to judiciously make use of whatever they got from the empowerment programme.
He said that they should use them as a stepping stone toward improving their lots instead of always waiting for handouts every time.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme has as its theme: ‘Navigating the storm, sailing forward’.
NOWA under the arrangement empowered 25 beneficiaries who received: gas cookers, bags of rice, groundnut oil and fabrics.
In her welcome address, the NOWA President, Mrs Theresa Ibas, said that the association would continue to help the widows and orphans who lost their loved ones.
She said that this was part of the efforts by the association to make life easier for widows and orphans.
