Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the welfare of members of the country’s armed forces tackling the Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and other criminalities in various parts of the country.

He also challenged the federal government to accord special recognition for soldiers who died during national service.

Wike stated this at the inter-denominational church service in Port Harcourt on Sunday, marking the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance day celebration.

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, in a statement quoted Wike as saying that an annual remembrance day celebration for the armed forces was not enough to cater for soldiers who suffered injuries or paid the ultimate price while defending the country.

Wike, however, advocated for special recognition for the fallen heroes as well as soldiers still diligently fighting bandits and insurgents in some parts of the country.

Wike stated: “It is not easy when people would say for the sake of this country, we are willing to make sacrifices.

''They laid down their lives to protect us. While some of us will be sleeping, they are busy, fighting to defend the country, the sovereignty of this country.

“In the course of doing that, so many died, some get injured to the point they can’t be useful to themselves again all their life.

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''You know how painful it is that a man goes to work with the hope that he’s coming back home, but the children are later told that they have lost their dad because he went to protect the country.

“So, we must have a special recognition for our fallen heroes and to those who are still in the Armed Forces fighting. See what is going on in Borno and Yobe states and all over the country; banditry, insurgencies .

“ So, for us, we think that the government should come up with something concrete that when they go out and fight, their families will know that there is something their parents have kept that will cater for their children.”

In another post, a former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha would on Monday commission the Rumuche -Rumuakunde-Ohna Awuse Road in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, Okorocha who would be hosted in the state by Governor Nyesom Wike as Special Guest of Honour at the commissioning event scheduled for 11 am.