In a bid to assist retired veterans of the Nigerian military navigate the harsh economic environment with the nation has found itself, the Defence headquaters, through the directorate of Veteran Affairs has organized a skill acquisition training for veterans in the South-South zone of the country with the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen CG Musa saying it will empower them agaisnt effects of dwindling economic conditions.
Speaking at the opening of the 2-day training holding at the Villa Toscana Luxe Hotel, Port Harcourt, the CDS who was represented by the General Officer Commanding 6 division, Nigerian Army, Major Gen Jamal Abdusalam said, “veterans are not left out in our drive to make life better for service personnel. More so, veterans are critical Stakeholders in our pursuit for improved living condition”
Gen Musa said, “The training with the theme “Empowering Veterans Through Skills Acquisition for Capacity Building and Sustainability” Is the Defence Headquarters’ effort towards improving the standard of living of veterans as well as empowering them against the effect of dwindling economic conditions.
“It is pertinent to state that one of the problems faced by veterans is reduction in earnings and spending capacity which negatively affects the quality of lives of the veterans and their families.
“The dwindling economic conditions in earning and lack of access to alternative source of income result in a vicious cycle of want.
“It is based on this perennial problem and the need to empower our veterans that I directed the Veteran Affairs Division to conduct Skills Acquisition Training for veterans nationwide on Geo-political zone basis.
“I am happy that this Skills Acquisition Training will be conducted in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and that the training would include impartation of skills in such vocations as poultry, fish farming, snail farming, animal husbandry, livestock farming, integrated farming, irrigation and modern crop farming techniques amongst others.
“The training would also include financial literacy, record keeping, agricultural produce processing and packaging as well as marketing and identification of business opportunities.
“As a farmer I can better imagine the takeaway from this training programme and the benefits accruing to each participant.
Continuing, the CDS said, “The essence of this training is to educate participants in various agricultural lines to create a platform for skills acquisition that could enable them to carve niches in the agricultural value chain.
“A tenacious exploitation of these agricultural value chain has the potential of rejuvenating the livelihood of participants and their dependents.
“Similarly, the training as programmed, would enable you to be certified by SMEDAN and the certificate could be utilized as a requirement to obtain loans from banks depending on the scope of your intended vocation and business plan.
“Considering the crop of facilitators anchoring this programme, I am convinced that at the end of the training you will be adequately educated and prepared to key into the poverty alleviation programmes of the present administration under my stewardship in line with the Renewed Hope initiative (RHI) of The President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“While congratulating you for being nominated for this training programme, I wish to encourage you to make optimum use of the training and this onerous opportunity to network among yourselves and other sundry organizations and individuals.
“It is also my earnest hope that the knowledge you will acquire from this training would help each one of you to create an enduring business platform that would be a veritable source of sustenance for you and your dependents”.
Welcoming participants to the training workshop, the Director, Veteran Affairs, DHQ, Major General Dahiru Salihu said, “This training, like others organised in the past by the Veteran Affairs Division (VAD) is in line with the leadership concept of the Chief of Defence Staff, which is “To nurture a Professional Armed Forces of Nigeria that is people-centric, Collaborative and Capable of Meeting its Constitutional Responsibilities in a Joint Environment”.
“The training is aimed at ensuring a comfortable and purposeful life for veterans through education and focuses on the importance of improved standard of living.
“It is worthy of note that one of the major reasons for hardship suffered by veterans over the years is lack of proper planning before retirement. Hence, the importance of training of this nature cannot be over emphasised as it is quite timely and desirable.
“The CDS, considering his pedigree and antecedents has always been a true believer in capacity building of personnel, veterans and their dependants.
“He has always demonstrated this in his unwavering support and commitment to the welfare of troops and their families, including veterans and widows of our fallen heroes.
“The CDS also believes that this training will be of great value to our veterans and serving military personnel from the AFN.
Let me assure you all that our Facilitators, Skills Station Academy and MONAKAS Harvesters and Feeds are capable and well prepared for this training.
“Also, the team of experienced resource persons and veterans will also give us insight based on their expertise and experiences outside after leaving the barracks.
“It is our hope that the knowledge gained from this training would not only lay a strong foundation for better living condition but would also benefit others around you through transfer of knowledge.”
Salihu appreciated the CDS for giving Veteran Affairs Division the opportunity and logistics support to organise the training “without which our gathering today would not have been possible.”
