The 22nd President of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Salamatu Yahaya, on Thursday, commissioned a number of projects executed by the association in Katsina State.
These include the commissioning of new structures in NAOWA Group of Schools, comprising NAOWA Model Nursery and Primary School as well as the NAOWA College located at the 35 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Natsinta Barracks, Katsina.
The school’s administrative block and its multipurpose hall were reconstructed alongside the construction of a block of four classrooms, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology laboratory blocks with additional toilet facilities including the completion of the school mosque and the parameter fence.
Other projects executed and commissioned by the NAOWA President are the solar-powered water borehole project at Natsinta, a village neighboring the 35 Battalion of the Nigerian Army to ease water shortage and scarcity facing the residents.
The NAOWA President also commissioned a Special Maternity Ward at the 171 Battalion Medical Centre located in Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari as part of efforts to show love and contribute to the well-being of the Army officers’ wives.
She, however, urged the army officers’ wives to always put their husbands in prayers and learn to tolerate and cover their weaknesses for the children to follow in their footsteps.
While at the commissioning of the NAOWA Group of Schools, Mrs Salamatu recalled that the NAOWA Model Nursery and Primary School was established on September 10th, 1997 by the then area representative, NAOWA 35 Battalion chapter by the late Mrs. Ruth Kaka of the blessed memory.
“Consequently, when I came on board, I discovered that the school lacks essential structures and facilities required for the standard and modern-day learning institution likewise the college did not have accreditation to conduct the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.
“A three-man team was set up by the NAOWA to carry out the detailed assessment of the schools and make recommendations where my husband approved and sponsored the entire project,” she noted.
Mrs Salamatu also paid a courtesy visit to the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari at the Council Chamber of General Muhammadu Buhari House, Katsina where he expressed concern on the plight of wives and children left behind by the fallen heroes, urging NAOWA to pay more attention on them basically on skills and entrepreneurship.
“I am very passionate about education because. Here in Katsina, education is number one, number two, and three priority and we have started seeing the result of investment in education,” he said.
According to Masari, when he came on board as governor in 2015, the enrollment rate of pupils into primary school was only 1.1 million but has risen to 2.2 million.
“There is a significant improvement in the transition from junior secondary school to senior secondary school and vice versa,” he noted.
The NAOWA president also paid homage to the emirs of Katsina and Daura, their Royal Highnesses Alhaji Dr. Abdulmumini Kabir Usman and HRH Umar Faruk Umar at their respective palaces.
Earlier in his address, the Commander of the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Katsina, Brigadier General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, said the reason for the visit was to see the troops and encourage them in the fight against terrorists.
“She is here together with her entourage to also pay homage to the two emirs of Katsina and Daura to seek their guidance and fatherly advise,” he stated.
For the Emir of Katsina, HRH Abdulmumini Usman, behind every successful person, there must always be a woman.
“If you give women a chance, they will deliver as expected. Women are hard workers that always perform and leave up to expectations,” he said.
And for the Emir of Daura, HRH Umar Faruk Umar, the level of insecurity problems has drastically reduced in the country to the barest minimum after the inception of Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya as the Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army.
Residents are therefore charged to provide all the necessary support and cooperation to the Nigerian Army and other sister security agencies to win the fight against insecurity in the country.
The Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization with the objectives of propagating unity and assisting the poor and the needy through charity as well as raising the standard of living in the barracks of the country.
