President, Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Mrs. Ummul-Kulthum Buratai, on Wednesday, in Benin, Edo State, inaugurated a skills acquisition centre at the Ekenhuan Barracks of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army.
She said that the project was in line with the barracks and investment programme of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
Mrs. Buratai said that the centre would increase the proportion of gainfully-employed population in the Ekenhuan barracks and environs.
The NAOWA president said the centre would reduce redundancy among the barracks community and in turn boost the main thrust of the association’s key objective in provision of viable skills for women and youths.
She said the project was a fulfillment of a great vision borne out of deep rooted desire of NAOWA for the well-being of officers, soldiers, wives, youths, widows, orphans as well as residents of surrounding communities.
The NAOWA president noted that the centre would provide an avenue for the families of officers and soldiers to learn skills of their choice with a view to starting a small scale enterprise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the centre has four units which include catering, hairdressing/ barbing, tailoring and adult education units.
NAN also reports that 33 beneficiaries of the centre were presented with starter packs.
The NAOWA president also presented educational and instructional materials, food items, toiletries and cooking utensils to NAOWA Nursery and Primary School and the Edo Orphanage home respectively.
Other places she visited were: School for the Disabled in Benin, where she donated some materials to the school and the Command Children School, where exercise books were also distributed to the pupils.
Earlier, Mrs Falilatu Garba, NAOWA Zonal Coordinator, 4 Brigade Chapter, said the objective of the centre was to provide basic skills to the wives of officers with a view to supporting their husbands.
Garba said the association was passionate about rendering selfless service to humanity, especially the widows and the vulnerable in the society. (NAN)
