Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has said that he will always stand by the wives of the fallen heroes, because their husbands paid the supreme price for the peace of the nation.
Governor Wike stated this during the award of Scholarship to 55 dependants of fallen heroes in Port Harcourt.
The governor represented by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo- Jaja celebrated widows of fallen heroes for overcoming the multi dimensional challenges posed by the death of their husbands stating that no amount of investment is worth the sacrifice their husbands have made.
He said that the scholarship award was a reflection of his administration’s commitment to educational developments of the state.
According to him, “Education is the only vehicle for change, it broadens the mind, the man who opens the gate of a school closes the gate of prisons”, he said.
The governor said, his administration had resolved to use education to address the issue of Niger Delta agitations and urged private sectors to assist widows.
Also speaking, the sole administrator, Nigerian Legion, Justice Chichi said that the scholarship scheme would be sustained during his 4 yrs in office and thanked the Governor for putting smiles on the faces of widows of the fallen heroes through funding of the scholarship programme.
He said the scholarship was a to provide opportunity for the children of our fallen heroes to attain their academic ambition, adding that the gesture was also to make them know that the labour of their father was not in vain.
He assured that funds donated to the command would be used judiciously and promised to give priority to the welfare of widows and depentants of fallen heroes.
The National Chairman Nigeria Legion, Brig Gen Jones Akpa (rtd) said the legion was created in 1962 and assured that the command would explore opportunities to generate income to improve members’ and dependants’ welfare.
The Director of Federal Affairs, Defence Headquarters, G.C.N. Obi, enjoined companies to invest on the youths through the command’s scholarship scheme.
The Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani represented by Chief Gospel Fubara said the scheme was in fulfilment of the new Rivers Vision of Governor Wike.
Mr Kobani said the state government through Nigerian legion had empowered not only the dependants but the widows of fallen heroes and encouraged all to join hands to move the state forward.
The Tide reports that each of the 55 beneficiaries received N150, 000.

Victory Amirani