Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has challenged corporate organisations and private citizens to go beyond words and provide practical support for Nigeria’s Armed Forces.
Speaking on Thursday, during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony at Peace Park, Yenagoa, the governor emphasised that the welfare of military personnel is a collective duty, as they are the “bedrock” preventing the nation’s fabric from being torn apart.
Diri noted that while the state honours those who made the supreme sacrifice, the living—veterans and active-duty soldiers—require tangible support to improve their conditions of service.
READ ALSO: Bayelsa wins $400,000 UNICEF health prize as Diri dedicates award to late deputy
“Behind every medal lies a story of sacrifice: families who have lost breadwinners and veterans living with wounds, visible and invisible,” Diri stated.
“I call on corporate organisations and private individuals to lend their support. Through your contributions and judicious partnerships, we can ensure those who hazard so much for our safety are never forgotten.”
To demonstrate his administration’s “leading by example” approach, the governor highlighted the recent completion and handover of residential quarters to the Nigerian Army 16 Brigade at Elebele.
The intervention, which was recently lauded by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu includes 9 units of three-bedroom Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’ quarters.
2 blocks of nine units of two-bedroom apartments for troops.
In a strategic move to boost food security, Diri invited the military leadership to pivot toward large-scale agriculture.
This follows his flag-off of the state’s dry farming season on Tuesday and his approval of a ₦200 million monthly grant for farmers.
He urged the Armed Forces to adopt the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited (NAFARL) model in Bayelsa, proposing a partnership that would turn barracks and military lands into productive hubs for food sufficiency.
The event reached its climax with a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
READ ALSO: Diri leads solemn Christmas Carol in Bayelsa to honour late deputy
The governor was joined by top state officials and traditional leaders.
The ceremony ended with a 21-gun salute and the symbolic release of pigeons, signifying the state’s enduring hope for peace and national unity.
For more details, visit New Daily Prime at www.newdailyprime.news.
