Fubara Donates N30m to Legionnaires for Armed Forces Emblem

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has donated the sum of N30 million to the legionnaires for the launching of the 2024 Armed Forces Emblem.

Governor Fubara made the donation yesterday when the legionnaires visited him at the Government House in Port Harcourt for the launching of the sticker.

The governor also promised jobs for the legionnaires’ children in the state, noting that the people are looking forward for an improved personal economy in a peaceful environment.

Fubara said his administration would not do anything that would take away the people’s hope from them but work to actualise it, adding that without hope, it will be difficult for anybody to find any reason to live with optimism.

The governor said the reason President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is instructive is because it is driven to restore lost hope in Nigerians by improving the national economy.

According to him, “For us as a government, we believe, understand, and also appreciate that the only thing that keeps a man going is when he has hope. When you don’t have hope as a human being, you are gone.

“The government of today did not make a mistake by christening their mantra, ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’. This hope is what we as a government will not take away from you. Rather, we will give you everything to see that there is hope.”

 Fubara expressed appreciation to the war veterans, both fallen and living, for making invaluable sacrifices that have kept the country united till date.

Identifying with the legionnaires, Governor Fubara said as a child of a soldier, he recalled how his late mother used to benefit from such welfare donations made on a day like this.

The governor, who made the N30million donation on behalf of the state government, promised to also redeem previous financial grant made to them.

In his address, Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, said war veterans, fallen and living, had shown greater love in defending the territorial sovereignty of Nigeria and ensured that its citizenry live in peace.

Danagogo requested reciprocal gestures to the patriots by the citizenry in appreciating the heroic efforts and also to inspire them to do more with necessary support that will cushion the pains that they had suffered.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, Rivers State Command of Nigerian Legion, Area Controller General (ACG), Charles Hart, remarked that the emblem appeal launch event kick-started the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration to honour military officers who had paid the supreme price while enthroning and sustaining peace, unity, freedom and protection of Nigeria.

Hart, however, said in January 2023, the state government had promised the legion a grant of N100 million as welfare support, which is yet to be released to them.

 He also hinted that because of a lack of fund, 50 students currently on the legion’s scholarship scheme risk dropping out of school, and appealed for kind financial support from the state government.