Garba Foundation Empowers 116 Widows of Army Personnel in North-East

The 7 Division, Nigerian Army in conjunction with Mallam Garba Foundation a Kaduna based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has trained and empowered One Hundred and Sixteen (116) widows and spouses of Nigerian Army personnel of Maimalari Cantonment in skill acquisition and empowerment programme.

The three weeks intensive vocational training covers areas such as Fashion Design and Tailoring, Cosmetics, Leather Works, Catering Services, Dish Satellite Installation and Repairs, Hair Barbing and Hair Dressing. Others are Beads and Wire Works, Waina (Masa) Making,  Photography and Video Coverage.

In his remarks during the graduation ceremony held at Command Day Secondary School, Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri  Borno State, the special guest of honour – Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Major General Rogers Nicholas commended the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Major General IIbrahim Manu Yusuf for initiating the programme in collaboration with MGF which he said will go a long way to increase households incomes of the barracks community, adding that it is in line with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai’s Barracks Investment Initiative Program (BIIP) to take care of the welfare of the troops and in way boost the morale of troops fighting against insurgency in the North East Nigeria by empowering their families and wards.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the GOC said the programme is to support already established BIIP and Wolf Cooperative Society. In his words “On our part, 7 Division is involved in empowerment schemes such as crop farming, ranching and fish farming under the auspices of BIIP an initiative of the COAS. In order to have access to soft loans, the Division launched the Wolf Cooperative Society Ltd which is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in accordance with extant laws of the Federation”. The GOC promised to incorporate the beneficiaries into the Wolf Cooperative Society and provide them with stalls to take off. He charged the beneficiaries of the scheme to make use of the opportunity provided by the training to support their families and assured them of the Division’s support to sustain their business after one year.

The Founder and Chairman of MGF, Dr Abdulmajid Garba thanked Military authorities for supporting the programme and allowing them into the barracks. He also thanked facilitators for providing essential services during the training.

Highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of starter packs to all the beneficiaries who were pleasantly excited with the expensive starter packs.

Dignitaries at the event include among others, the representative of the Borno State Commissioner of Justice, Formation Commanders, Principal Staff Officers of the Division, heads of various security agencies in the State, members of UN and NGOs, member of the Presidential Initiative on North East, beneficiaries and their families.

EMMANUEL ONYEACHONAM

Captain

for Deputy Director 7 Division Army Public Relations