Families of fallen heroes in Ebonyi State and members of the Nigerian Legion will henceforth enjoy monthly stipends in addition to free transportation to anywhere they collect their pensions.

Governor David Umahi announced this during an interdenominational church service on Sunday to mark the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Abakaliki, the state capital. He said the decision was to ameliorate the suffering of the legionnaires.

Acknowledging the supreme price which members of the Nigerian Legion to keep the country together, he directed his Senior Special Assistant on Welfare and Religious Matters, Rev. Father Abraham Nwali, to take a head count of the families of the fallen heroes to enable his administration come up with the monthly allowance.

Umahi said: “I want to congratulate and celebrate you, our Legion. I needed to find out your number in our state because we are not very sure of the number.

“What we want to do is to ask Rev. Father Nwali to see how we can number the families of the fallen heroes in Ebonyi State and see how we can put them on monthly stipends to assist them.

“We shall do this together with the legionnaires who are alive. Not only that we give you monthly stipend, we shall also try to assist with your transportation to wherever you collect your pensions.”

The governor, who commended President Muhamadu Buhari for the war against Boko Haram, called on Christians to always pray for the country’s leaders.

He identified fervent prayers as the only solution to the economic challenges facing the country.

Governor Umahi admonished Christians to always forgive one another and resolve issues concerning them as a body of Christ.

“I believe that Christianity, no matter your level, must have the act of forgiveness; it must have the act of giving and it must have the act of caring for the less privileged. I think this is true Christianity,” he stated.

Umahi called on churches all over the country to carry out regular enlightenment campaigns against Lassa Fever, which he said has claimed many lives in the 10 states of the federation so far identified with the disease.

Earlier in his sermon, the Dean of the Cathedral, St. Peters Presbyterian Church, Abakaliki, Rt. Rev. Onyeuwoma Godswill, called on Nigerians to cultivate a good relationship with God in order to guarantee security and stability of the nation.

Prayers for the corporate existence of Nigeria, repose of the fallen heroes, President Buhari and his family, members of the National Executive Council, the Legislature and the Judiciary were offered.

•Photo shows Governor Umahi.

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