COWA pledges support for families of fallen heroes

By Ifedayo Adeniyi

The Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA) has pledged that it will not neglect families of officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) who lost their lives in the line of duties nationwide, saying that it will continue to provide necessary economic and educational supports for them.

Wife of the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service and President of the association, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, who gave the assurance during her visit to the Ogun Area 1 Command of NCS, at Idiroko in Ipokia local government area of the state, also promised that the association will support all federal government's efforts geared  towards eliminating the scourge of hard drugs intake among the Nigerian youths.

She declared that COWA's support for wives and children of the fallen heroes was targeted at enabling the surviving spouses cater for their families' needs, particularly those that are recently bereaved, so that they would not constitute nuisances to anyone in the society.

While emphasizing that COWA has identified some specific areas of needs of the bereaved families, Mrs. Adeniyi disclosed that the economic support stimuli would include training the wives of the fallen heroes on business and empowerment programmes; skills acquisitions in their chosen vocations, while the educational supports packages would include offering scholarships to children of the deceased NCS officers as well as those who are still in active service. 

She said, "as a non profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting spouses and fatherless of Customs officers, COWA works to promote activities that will support the federal government's poverty eradication programme, as well as reduce infant and maternal mortality; promote and support the welfare of the wives of Customs officers".

"Our focus in this regard is to provide educational support and scholarships to the children through the payment of school fees, and vocational empowerment of the bereaved wives to make them self-reliant. We will also extend love, care and support to orphans and orphanages". 

"Our campaign against drug abuse was conceived out of a compelling need to support the government in eliminating the scourge of hard drugs in the country. Drug abuse is a complex disease that affects millions of people worldwide".

"COWA will support government's effort in curtailing the scourge by organizing strategic enlightenment campaigns and seminars as may be deemed appropriate. We will also support the rehabilitation and recovery of victims.

Mrs. Adeniyi however, presented souvenirs and food items to 11 NCS widows just demonstrate her association's commitment to its avowed pledges, stressing that COWA will at no time, abandon the bereaved families.