Handicap by unfilled annual pledges and unredeemed donations the Nigerian Legion on Wednesday called for inclusion in the Federal government’s annual budgetary allocation.
The National Chairman of the Nigerian Legion (NL), Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril (Rtd.), made the call in Abuja, during the 2024 Nigerian Legion Humanitarian Day celebration tagged “Lest we Forget” as a reminder of the sacrifices made by brave Nigerian veterans.
He said inclusion in the annual budgetary allocation would ensure that efforts to provide essential welfare services to Veterans and their families are not short-lived but sustained for the long term.
The National Chairman said the financial difficulties the Legion is facing have severely impacted on the ability to deliver on its core mandate of providing care and support for veterans.
Maj Gen Jibril said the shortfall in funds is as a result of the low sales of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblems and unredeemed pledges from some donors.
He said the Nigeria Legion Humanitarian Day celebration is part of efforts to impact positively on widows of Nigeria’s fallen heroes and veterans who died in active service to the nation.
The Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru in his address at Nigerian Legion Humanitarian Day celebration commended Major General Jibril efforts at providing leadership for the veterans and for highlighting the financial challenges facing the Nigerian Legion.
He said “it is clear that urgent action is needed to ensure that the welfare of our military widows, orphans, veterans with disabilities, and their dependents are well taken care of.”
“The challenges the Legion is currently facing from declining funds due to shortfalls in the sale of emblems and unredeemed pledges are issues of great concern. However, they should aiso serve as a wake up call to action for all of us gathered here today.
The theme of this year’s celebrations “Lest We Forget,” demands that we never allow the needs of members of the Armed Forces who have served our country including making the supreme sacrifice to be overlooked or neglected,
“otherwise it will send wrong signal to those serving as an insight to what may befall them and all they may leave behind.”
“In this spirit, | fully support the Nigerian Legion’s call for financial inclusion in the Federal Govemment’s annual budgetary allocations. This can be preceded by a substantial take up grant to ensure that the Legion receives stable funding to enable it meet up its financial requirements necessary to sustain the essential services that it provides for our veterans and their families” he said.
He recalled that the President, C-in-C of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Grand Patron of ail military Veterans has graciously donated the sum of Five Hundred Million (N500,000,000.00) only to the Nigeria Legion during this year’s emblem launching.
No doubt the Nigerian Legion in all it’s 60 years of existence has never had it so good. We are grateful to Mr. President and we are very certain this is just the beginning of # better things to come.
He said the President has been assured that Nigerian Legion will make judicious use of his generous donation towards uplifting of the welfare of our veterans and their families in the spirit of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
He further assured the Federal Government will never forget the veterans, their widows, orphans and their families. The president has you in mind all the time, the minister added.