By Joy Onu
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has launched a skill acquisition programme for retired members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the North Central geopolitical zone and the Federal Capital Territory as part of efforts to support their transition to civilian life and improve their economic prospects.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, the four-day training, which began on July 14 at the Headquarters 22 Brigade, Sobi Cantonment, Ilorin, Kwara State, is being organised by the Veterans Affairs Directorate of the Defence Headquarters and will run until July 17.
Speaking at the opening of the programme, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, said the training is designed to equip veterans with practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills to help them build sustainable livelihoods after retirement.
Represented by the Director of Veterans Affairs, Major General O.D. Williams, the CDS said the Armed Forces remain committed to supporting personnel after active service, adding that the training forms part of efforts to help veterans achieve economic self-reliance.
Oluyede said the programme, themed “Enhancing Veterans’ Capacity Building through Sustained Skill Acquisition Training for Enhanced National Development,” is intended to prepare retired personnel to play greater roles in Nigeria’s socio-economic development through entrepreneurship and other productive ventures.
He said the initiative also aligns with his leadership agenda, which places a premium on personnel welfare and sound administration.
The CDS urged participants to make the most of the opportunity by applying the knowledge and skills acquired during the training to establish viable businesses and other income-generating ventures.
The programme is expected to equip veterans with technical and entrepreneurial competencies that will strengthen their economic resilience and support productive lives beyond military service.
