15th October, 2023
By Isa Isawade
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been advised to reckon with the heroes and heroines of democracy (dead or alive) by including their families in his government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and other social intervention programmes.
This call was made in a press statement on Thursday by the National Coordinator of the Pro-Democracy Groups for A Better Nigeria, Comrade Awa Bamiji.
Bamiji, a foremost June 12 activist commended the President for including vulnerable ex-servicemen, their widows and dependants in the programmes.
He, however, said leaving out the civilian heroes and heroines of the democracy in Nigeria would be unkind to the contributions and sacrifices made by the selfless individuals, some of whom paid the supreme price.
“It is highly commendable that for the first time in the history of the Federal Government welfare Programme, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has now included vulnerable ex-servicemen, their widows and dependants in the National Social Register to benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer and other Social Intervention Programmes but it must be all-inclusive,” Bamiji opined.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, earlier on Tuesday in Abuja during an official visit to the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, disclosed that “the federal government has expanded the welfare scheme to accommodate ex-servicemen, their widows and dependants in fulfilment of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to Nigerians”.
The Minister said the new innovation became necessary to include those who paid the supreme price for the sustenance of the peace of the country and their dependants to serve as a morale booster for those currently securing the country.
She sought accurate data on the affected ex-servicemen and their dependants to enable them to be captured in the ongoing national social register verification.
According to the Coalition for A Better Nigeria, also led by Awa Bamiji, “We appreciate the supreme price paid at the war front by these ex-servicemen or military fallen heroes. But it’s our belief that the extended scheme must also cover our Heroes and Heroines of Democracy (living and dead), their widows and their dependants because an attempt to ignore this noble class of civilians won’t speak well of the humble and genuine efforts of the government.
“As an organisation with a national outlook, which has been celebrating these Heroes and Heroines (living and dead) one by one for decades, we are more than ready to partner with our dear Sister, Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, to ensure her success in this sensitive area of Democracy.”