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By Chioma Okezie-Okeh
The new President of Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Hajara Usman Akali Baba has called on members to help restore the demoralized state mind of their husbands due to the constant killings of policemen in the country.
She made this call today during her maiden visit to Lagos State while addressing members at POWA secretariate and multipurpose hall in Ikeja. She pleaded with the women to encourage their husbands not to loose confidence in the system and continue to diligently discharge their duties.
In her welcome address, the chairperson of POWA, Lagos chapter Nafisat Oyeronke Odumosu, pleaded with the POWA president to lend her ears to some of the challenges in Lagos.
“We pray that you assist in facilitating quick renovation of the burnt barracks so that wives of the affected officers presently squatting with people would return back to their residence.
We beg for an urgent renovation of dilapidated barracks which most of them stands now as death traps that can collapse at any time. Weeks back a pillar fell on a 16-year-old daughter of a serving sergeant and killed her while she was sleeping.
We are requesting for scholarship for children of widowed POWA members that lost their husband in the job.
We need more open markets for growing number of members especially in Lagos to enable us assist our husbands, provision of medical facilities and seeking for rebate of medical bills for our members and children.”
Reacting to the issues raised, she promised to discuss with her husband, the acting IGP to find possible ways of rebuilding the barracks that were destroyed during the Endsars protest and improve the general welfare of policemen and their families in the country. “I don’t know if it is renovation or demolishing. I don’t know what will happen. I will discuss with my husband to see to it that reconstruction of those barracks is done as soon as possible. I came to familiarize myself with my members. We cannot be perfect but I will try my best as a mother and wife.
Everyone knows what is happening in Nigeria, so many lost their husbands. I want to assure those that lost their husband that they are not going to be left behind. They will not be forgotten.”
She encouraged members on the need for empowerment which should not be restricted to owning a shop but also learning skills. “Let us learn to support our husbands financially and help reduce burden on them. Our husbands need peace at home for them to concentrate at work. Don’t be a nagging wife.”
