Dakar, Oct 13 (APS) – Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko officially launched, Saturday in Dakar, the national solidarity campaign for the benefit of war wounded and disabled soldiers, noted the APS.
It is planned across the entire national territory for the period from October 12 to December 19, 2024.
The launching ceremony took place in the Officers’ Mess circle, Colonel Emmanuel Gomis, in the presence of several members of the government, general managers, business leaders, press bosses, artists, sportspeople and patrons.
The funds collected, as part of this campaign, will be used through a “transparent and structuring approach, by those concerned themselves in conjunction with experts from the Agency for the Social Reintegration of Military Personnel, to finance their projects and thus contribute to the economic and social development of our country,” explained Mr. Sonko.
In this perspective, the head of government invited them to organize themselves around a “unifying entity and to commit to optimal use of the resources that will be mobilized.”
”Beyond the autonomy provided, this approach offers you the opportunity to insert yourself into the current economic environment and to play your role in perfect harmony with government initiatives,” he added, in presence of war wounded and disabled soldiers.
The Prime Minister paid “a vibrant tribute” to the family members of disabled and war-wounded soldiers as well as to the “defense and security forces for their unfailing commitment, at all times and in all places, to the populations in order to ensure the defense of our national territory and this at the cost of their lives.”
He invited “all compatriots, starting with members of the government and all those invested with responsibility, to join the armies to support our Diambars (soldiers in Wolof) who are disabled in the financing of viable projects and sustainable”.
“It is these victims of duty that we want to celebrate this evening, through the launch of the national solidarity campaign”, for his part underlined, the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces (CEMGA), Mbaye Cisse.
The victims concerned are “around 6,500 soldiers, two thirds of whom are retired, with more symptomatic cases concerning the seriously injured, among whom there are more than 250 mutilated people, some of whom have two limbs”, he said. specified.
The CEMGA indicated that ”the major objective pursued by this initiative is to promote grouping around income-generating activities, designed and managed, by themselves with the supervision of the Agency for the social reintegration of military personnel .”
”Beyond material support, the national character of the campaign could undoubtedly help fill many of them’s need for recognition and esteem, to overcome persistent psychological trauma. Certain initiatives already fill us with happiness,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of his disabled comrades, soldier Tamsir, thanked the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces ”for his full involvement in the numerous problems which beset disabled and mutilated soldiers.”
”In the name of my wounded and mutilated war comrades and invalids here present and others stuck at home due to travel difficulties, may God grant our dear country, Senegal, the much-desired concord and national peace” , he wished.
MK/AB/SK
Related News :