CDS pledges improved welfare for military veterans

By Ibrahim Kado

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede has pledged to enhance the welfare of military veterans and will engage them for intelligence gathering in the area of security.

Oluyede said this shortly after a meeting with retired veterans in the North-East zone Thursday in Yola.

He said that constitutionally if there was an increase in the salary for serving soldiers there ought to be a consequential effect on the pension of veterans.

“As we are enhancing the welfare of serving soldiers we are also enhancing the welfare of veterans to make their life better”, he said.

Oluyede also said that it was important to engage the veterans for better intelligence going by the security challenges bedeviling the country.

“We feel that they are the people that could help us get intelligence from the communities, so that we do our job better, ” said.

According to him, those that protested recently were misled by some elements that do not know what the defence headquarters are doing to enhance both serving and retired soldiers.

In his remarks, retired Maj.- Gen. Hussaini Salihu, National President of Retired Army, Navy and Air Force (RANOA) appreciated the CDS for his commitment to the welfare of veterans in the country.

Salihu expressed confidence that the promises would be delivered.

“it’s just a matter of time to put the things on the dot, he told us what he is doing and what the Federal government is doing,” he said.

The veteran further explained that those who protested recently were not registered members.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the veterans were drawn from the six states in the North-East region for the meeting.

NAN