From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari have called for better support system for personnel of the armed forces military personnel and their spouses in and out of service.
She said this has become necessary to address the traumatic experiences they might have undergone in the course of their services to the nation.
The First Lady made the call made the call at the public presentation of the book, ‘The Journey of a Military Wife’, written by the wife of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Mrs Victoria Irabor, in Abuja.
Mrs Buhari, while commending the leadership of the Defence and Police Officers Wives’ Association for establishing a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Centre to provide psychosocial support for military personnel, said that the PTSD project for the armed forces of Nigeria was important in addressing issues of mental health arising from traumatic experiences they might have gone through.
She said the book which outlined the experiences the author had as a military wife, would guide other wives of officers and soldiers with similar experiences and expose the significance of women as agents of stability and development in the country.
While commending the author for doing justice to several issues facing wives of military officers and men, the First Lady said that the book would serve as a reference guide for military families.
“I highly recommend this book for all Nigerians seeking information on the role and impact of military wives in the safety and security of the nation.
“There is the need for the Government of Nigeria to consider addressing some of the issues in the book.
“Which include our support system for officers and their families, such as PTSD for officers and soldiers, particularly those in the front line.
“Economic empowerment opportunities for the wives, the need for special support for military spouses, and better support for the military,”.
She encouraged all military personnel to read the book, as it would give them understanding of the challenges faced by women.
Also speaking, The CDS, General Lucky Irabor, who commended his wife for writing the book, said it brought to the fore some of the issues that had been taken for granted, adding that the information he got from the book brought to his consciousness what their spouses can do.
In her address, the Author, Mrs Irabor, who described military wives as the unsung heroes that were hardly celebrated for their rules behind the scene that helped the military to achieve greater heights, said the book was propelled by her experience as a military wife who faced several challenges with little or no counselling.
Mrs Irabor, while noting that the book would be a guide for military wives as it would enable them to be abreast of what they would go into, called on government to demonstrate more kindness to widows of deceased personnel who paid the supreme price defending the nation.
She said that military widows require more support beyond payment of death benefits and gratuity.
