By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) has distributed food packages to over 2000 military families residing at the Mogadishu Cantonment, Mambilla Barracks and the National Defence College Quarters, all within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Brigadier General Benard Onyeuko
Acting Director,bDefence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters said in a statement on Thursday that the beneficiaries were the wives of serving personnel and widows of fallen military personnel in the barracks.
He said the gesture was also extended to teaching and non-teaching staff of DEPOWA Schools, as well as Instructors of DEPOWA Skills Acquisition Centre, Abuja.
“The items include bags of Sermovita and customized Hand-Sanitizers produced by DEPOWA Skills Acquisition Centre.
“The charitable initiative by DEPOWA was to cushion the economic effect of stay at home order of the Federal Government (FG), with the lockdown of FCT, Lagos and Ogun States to checkmate the spread of corona virus pandemic in the nation.
“Speaking during the distribution of the food items to the beneficiaries, the President of DEPOWA, Dr (Mrs) Omobolanle Olonisakin stated that the gesture was to soften the effect of the sit at home order on the barracks communities.
“The DEPOWA President, who was represented by the Association’s Vice President, Mrs Grace Balogun, promised that DEPOWA would continue to support the welfare needs of barracks women, especially the widows and orphans of fallen heroes of military and police personnel who laid down their lives serving their fatherland.
“Dr Olonisakin urged barracks residents to stay safe, maintain personal and environmental hygiene, and to stay at home as directed. She noted that it was imperative that all Nigerians strictly adhere to the precautionary guidelines and measures aimed at eradicating the Covid-19 scourge.
“Meanwhile, the beneficiaries who could not hide their joy, showered encomium on the DEPOWA President and her team for the palliatives, which according to them, will go a long way to cushion the effect of the stay at home order.
“DEPOWA also used the occasion to embark on awareness campaign against the deadly corona virus with the distribution of handbills and flyers educating the populace on how to stay safe of corona virus pandemic.
“DEPOWA is a Non Governmental Association (NGO) that is complementing the welfare programmes of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police.”
