By Helen Udoh-Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru has assured the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) of Nigerian Army (NA) continuous support in the execution of its projects and programmes.
He gave the assurance when the President DEPOWA, Barrister (Mrs) Victoria Irabor led other members of the association on a courtesy visit to the COAS at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.
The COAS commended the leadership of DEPOWA for championing initiatives that are geared towards ameliorating the problems that bothered on healthy living and improved living standards of military personnel.
He further added that the programmes have direct benefits on military families and the general public, adding that the NA would not relent in supporting the laudable humanitarian projects of the association, Mohammed Yerima, Brigadier General, Director Army Public Relations noted.
The COAS also used the medium to appreciate members of Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA), Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) and Nigerian Air Force Officers Wives Association (NAFOWA) for the humanitarian services they have been rendering to humanity.
Earlier in her remarks, the President of DEPOWA, Mrs Victoria Irabor maintained that the association has evolved to become an organization focused on providing support to wives of personnel and their families towards achieving a healthy military community. She further stated that this is in line with her pet project tagged “Uniting Our Voices First”, adding that DEPOWA is seeking the collaboration of the NA to provide solutions that will adequately address the causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) faced by personnel.
Mrs Irabor asserted that military personnel have over the years suffered physical injuries, depression and emotional trauma accumulated from experiences in the theatres of operations, pointing out that traits such as nightmares, anxiety and outbursts of anger are usually triggered in response to trauma and are indicators of PTSD. The DEPOWA President used the medium to intimate the COAS on her proposal to establish a PTSD Evaluation and Rehabilitation Centre to evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to personnel and their spouses prior to reintegration at the end of their operational tour of duty from the various theatres of operations.
She was accompanied on the visit by the National President NAOWA, Mrs Fati Attahiru, National President NOWA, Hajiya Aisha Gambo and the National President, NAFOWA, Mrs Elizabeth Amao among others. Also present at the event were Principal Staff Officers and Directors from Army Headquarters.
Highlight of the visit was the presentation of souvenir, signing of visitors’ book and a group photograph.
