Asuquo Cletus
The Akwa Ibom State Government has unveiled a comprehensive economic empowerment scheme targeted at widows of deceased military personnel, police officers and other paramilitary operatives.
This is part of efforts by the state government to improve their livelihoods and ensure long-term financial stability.
Governor Umo Eno announced the initiative on Thursday during the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Cenotaph on Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.
Under the programme, the state government will construct 150 lock-up shops, with 100 allocated to widows of fallen military personnel and 50 to widows of deceased police officers and other paramilitary operatives. Beneficiaries will also receive take-off grants to enable them to establish and sustain small-scale businesses.
Governor Eno said the intervention marked a deliberate shift from one-off financial assistance to sustainable economic empowerment for families of fallen heroes who paid the supreme price in the service of the nation.
He said, “In line with our commitment to the welfare of families of our fallen heroes, we are deliberately moving beyond short-term financial support to programmes that provide lasting economic stability.”
Beyond the empowerment scheme, the governor announced immediate financial support totalling ₦120m, including ₦10m for officers on parade, ₦20m for widows present at the ceremony, and another ₦20m for Nigerian Legionaries, in appreciation of their sacrifices and service.
Eno recalled that the state government had, in the previous year, disbursed ₦250m as welfare support, comprising ₦150m to widows of fallen military personnel and ₦100m to widows of fallen police officers.
He disclosed that construction of the lock-up shops would commence immediately after relevant service formations make land available, adding that the Office of the First Lady, the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Bureau of Cooperatives would jointly coordinate and supervise the project to ensure timely delivery.
Speaking on national unity, the governor urged political leaders to see politics as a platform for service rather than violence, commending leaders of various political parties for attending the remembrance ceremony.
He also lauded President Bola Tinubu for what he described as decisive leadership in addressing the nation’s security challenges, noting improvements in several parts of the country.
Governor Eno paid tribute to officers and men of the Armed Forces who lost their lives in active service, as well as those currently deployed across different theatres of operations nationwide.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to security agencies, he recalled previous interventions, including the construction of internal roads at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, and disclosed that the Command and Control Centre would soon be completed.
The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is observed annually to honour Nigerian military personnel who died in the line of duty and to recognise the sacrifices of veterans and their families.
