By Our Correspondent
In an effort to strengthen veterans’ welfare administration in Nigeria, the Chairman of the National Council of Nigerian Legion, Ms. Grace Morenike Henry, on Wednesday paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board (MPB), Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Adamu, at the Board’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit, described as Ms. Henry’s first formal engagement with the MPB since assuming office, is aimed at fostering institutional collaboration and ensuring that the interests of retired military personnel remain at the forefront of policy and service delivery.
According to a statement released by the Media Aide to the Chairman in Abuja, Chief Abdul Lauya, the engagement is part of Ms. Henry’s strategic efforts to reposition the veterans’ welfare agenda and reinforce cooperation between the Nigerian Legion and agencies managing post-service affairs.
Speaking during the meeting, Ms. Henry called for “stronger institutional cooperation,” describing the Nigerian Legion as a “critical partner in the management of the post-service life of our gallant personnel.”
“The time has come for the Nigerian Legion and the Military Pensions Board to work more closely,” she said. “We owe it to the veterans’ community to ensure that their welfare is not just a priority on paper but a lived reality. I believe collaboration is the way forward.”
Responding, the MPB Chairman, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Adamu, welcomed the initiative and pledged the Board’s commitment to improved service delivery.
Adamu emphasized the MPB’s core mandate of catering to veterans’ welfare, assuring that the Board would work hand-in-hand with the Legion to enhance pension processing and post-service care.
“We are open to collaboration with the Legion,” AVM Adamu said. “We share a common purpose — to serve those who have served our nation. Any step that brings added value to veterans’ lives will be pursued with full dedication.”
The Nigerian Legion, established by an Act of Parliament, is the statutory body responsible for coordinating the affairs of retired military personnel in the country.
Under Ms. Henry’s leadership, the organization appears poised to play a more proactive role in advocating for the rights and dignity of Nigerian veterans.
