Focus is on sensitisation on the existence of the regional structure for retired soldiers and war victims.

The Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defense in charge of the Ex-servicemen and War Victims, Koumpa Issa, has assured retired defense forces staff that government is bent on bettering their lives through social reintegration into society after so many years of service to the nation.

The government assistance, he said, will come through projects and programmes designed to assist ex-servicemen and war victims. Koumpa Issa was speaking in Buea November 27 2013, while officially commissioning the newly appointed Head of the Regional Division of State Secretariat in charge of Ex-servicemen and War Victims in the South West region, 55-years-old Colonel Fosso Moise. Koumpa Issa urged him to put smiles on the faces of retiree defence staff as well as their widows and orphans. Colonel Fosso was also challenged to ensure a smooth transition between active service and retirement and to change perceptions about retirement in a bid to make armed forces appealing to the youth.

Colonel Fosso was reminded that as ex-servicemen, he has no troops to command but rather, men and women to serve with diligence, hard work, loyalty, availability and open mindedness, those who have rendered selfless services to the State with honour and fidelity. To do this, the Secretary of State prescribed a sense of creativity, know-how, foresightedness and above all a profound ability to think and brainstorm on projects and programmes geared towards assisting the ex-servicemen and war victims.

The ex-service men were reminded that the Head of State is very sensitive and attentive to their challenges; reason why he provided the Secretariat of State in charge of ex-service men and war victims to match words with action following his declaration during the 2010 50th anniversary of the Armed Forces. Thus, the ex-service men were exhorted to make good use of the structure.

The installation ceremony was attended by South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, officers, non commission officers, soldiers of rank and file as well as ex-servicemen. The working session that followed also acted as a platform for ex-service men to present their difficulties to the hierarchy.