The Akwa Ibom State Government has unveiled a comprehensive economic empowerment scheme targeted at widows of deceased military personnel, police officers, and other paramilitary operatives.
The initiative, part of the state’s broader effort to improve livelihoods and ensure long-term financial stability for affected families, is designed to provide sustainable support rather than one-off assistance.
Under the programme, beneficiaries will not only receive take-off grants to establish and sustain small-scale businesses but will also gain access to 150 newly constructed lock-up shops.
Of these, 100 shops will be allocated to widows of fallen military personnel, while 50 will go to widows of deceased police officers and other paramilitary operatives.
The scheme aims to create a steady source of income for families who have lost loved ones in service to the nation, ensuring that their sacrifices are honoured through meaningful economic empowerment.
Governor Umo Eno announced the initiative on Thursday during the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Cenotaph on Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.
He described the intervention as a deliberate shift from short-term financial assistance to long-term economic stability for families of fallen heroes.
“In line with our commitment to the welfare of families of our fallen heroes, we are deliberately moving beyond short-term financial support to programmes that provide lasting economic stability,” he said.
Beyond the empowerment scheme, Governor Eno announced immediate financial support totalling ₦120 million, including ₦10 million for officers on parade, ₦20 million for widows present at the ceremony, and another ₦20 million for Nigerian Legionaries, in appreciation of their sacrifices and service.
Eno recalled that the state government had, in the previous year, disbursed ₦250 million as welfare support, comprising ₦150 million to widows of fallen military personnel and ₦100 million to widows of fallen police officers.
He disclosed that construction of the lock-up shops would commence immediately after relevant service formations make land available, adding that the Office of the First Lady, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Bureau of Cooperatives would jointly coordinate and supervise the project to ensure timely delivery.
Speaking on national unity, the governor urged political leaders to view politics as a platform for service rather than violence, commending leaders of various political parties for attending the remembrance ceremony.
He also lauded President Bola Tinubu for decisive leadership in addressing the nation’s security challenges, noting improvements in several parts of the country.
Governor Eno paid tribute to officers and men of the Armed Forces who lost their lives in active service, as well as those currently deployed across different theatres of operations nationwide.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to security agencies, he recalled previous interventions, including the construction of internal roads at the Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, and disclosed that the Command and Control Centre would soon be completed.
