The Veteran Administration Ghana (VAG) has presented hampers containing groceries to ex-members of the armed forces (veterans) on admission at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
Valued at GH¢250 per hamper, the Administration gave the gifts to the 22 veterans at the hospital on Christmas day.
The presentation was to show the concern and love of the Administration towards veterans on admission at the hospital.
Captain Ben Edmund Duah (Retired), Executive Director of VAG, noted that the gesture was also to wish the veterans speedy recovery “and pray that the Almighty God heals them so they will join us soon.”
He indicated that ex-soldiers were vital assets to the state for which reason they deserved to be appreciated and assisted all their lives.
For this reason, Capt. Duah advised Ghanaians that going into the New Year, they should accord veterans all the respect they deserved.
“We want all Ghanaians to appreciate the veteran because the veteran is the person who one time or the other was prepared to lay down his life for mother Ghana,” he stated.
“He was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Ghana. And therefore in return during their old age, it behooves the people of Ghana to show that love, concern and pray for them so that at least they can have a peaceful rest,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of VAG, Bright Segbefia for his part called on veterans to join the Administration in order to have access to the benefits they deserved.
He said it was necessary for them do to so, because getting old and out of service brought its own challenges.
The VAG PRO said the Administration was the sole umbrella which saw to the needs and assistance of veterans.
Mr Segbefia, therefore, urged veterans to join the VAG in order to get assistance particularly in very trying moments when they were unable to do anything for themselves and had no one to support them.
The Duty Officer, Flying Officer Asante Sylvia Degamus on behalf of the veterans expressed their uttermost gratitude to the Administration for the gesture shown.
She used the opportunity to also urge VAG to continue its annual ritual to ensure that veterans felt loved.
BY ABIGAIL ARTHUR