Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali,has launched two identity cards for military retirees.

They are: Pensioners’ and Defence Health Maintenance/National Insurance Scheme official identity cards.

The minister launched the identity cards shortly after addressing a news conference to herald activities marking the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Dan-Ali also used the occasion to announce that payment of pension to military retirees had been harmonised, and was now being paid promptly and regularly.

He promised that the ministry would continue to engage its pensioners through relevant organs like the Nigerian Legion, Veteran Affair Division and Military Pension Board, to meet government obligations to them.

“To ensure that our pensioners are identified and ghost pensioners’ syndrome eradicated, the Military Pension Board has evolved an identity card scheme.

“The identity card will also serve as a debit card and grant the pensioners online real time access to their accounts,’’ he said.

On health insurance, Dan-Ali said the veterans would enjoy the scheme at no cost, while wives of deceased personnel and their eligible children were now entitled to its benefits.

He said in its efforts to ensure fallen heroes have a befitting resting place, the Defence Ministry had embarked on a phased rehabilitation of military cemeteries and war graves nationwide.

Also, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in conjunction with Nigeria has erected a Memorial Cenotaph in honour of Nigerian soldiers, who fought and died in the first and second world wars at National Cemetery, Abuja.

He said the Armed Forces Remembrance Day was organised to honour fallen heroes, who had paid the supreme sacrifices in the first, second world wars and Nigerian civil war, saying the day would also be used to honour personnel, who lost their lives in the ongoing war against terrorism in the North-East, which he said, was threatening the “corporate existence of our dear fatherland.’’

All the service chiefs including, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, representatives of the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and head of para-military organisations attended the briefing.