By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The social intervention and humanitarian programmes of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) is to receive a boost with pledge by the wife of the Pakistan Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Mrs Begum Syeda Bushra Raza to support the organization.
A press release by the Deputy Director Defence Information, DHQ, Air Commodore WAP Maigida said Mrs Raza made the pledge during her visit to the DEPOWA Secretariat, Abuja on Thursday.
She expressed readiness to support DEPOWA activities targeted at the less privilege and vulnerable persons in the barracks and larger society.
“Mrs Raza commended the Association for its establishing skills acquisition and vocational training centre where youths and women, including widows and orphans of fallen military heroes empowered to become self reliance and economically independence.
“Mrs Raza who accompanied his husband, Gen Nadeem Raza to Nigeria on an official engagement, revealed that she was ready to cooperate with DEPOWA in others areas such as human capacity development.
“She thanked the current leadership of DEPOWA for the hospitality and warm reception accorded her and her husband since their arrival while promising to reciprocate the gesture whenever the DEPOWA President and her team intend to visit Pakistan.
“The DEPOWA President, Barr (Mrs), Vickie Irabor stated that DEPOWA will welcome in areas of collaboration towards enhancing its code mandate of serving humanity. According to she, the visit would promote stronger ties between Nigeria and Pakistan Armed Forces, particularly in the security and defence sector.
“She maintained that since inception, DEPOWA has continued in fostering bond of friendship among its members in enable them play their roles as women in national development.
“The DEPOWA President who enumerated other mandates of the Association to include establishment of DEPOWA network of schools, supporting families of serving military personnel and fallen heroes, extending goodwill to vulnerable and marginalized persons in conflict zones.
“Mrs Irabor equally disclosed that DEPOWA is working towards establishment of a novel Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), rehabilitation centre. This she said, is to support the Armed Forces of Nigeria reintegration of officers and men after their tour of duties from their theatre of operations.”
