The Upper East regional branch of the Veterans Association at the weekend commended the Ministry of Defence for increasing their pension by 50 per cent and improving the conditions of service of the security agencies in the country. The Chairman of the Association, WO1 Kuntana Abdul Qaddiri Mustapha, made the commendation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga during this year's Remembrance Day of the Veterans Association. He indicated that most of the ex-servicemen had started benefiting from the package but noted that due to some anomalies others had not yet started benefiting and appealed to the Controller and Accountant Unit to hasten the correction of the problem to enable those ex-servicemen who were affected to also benefit. He cited the building of more accommodation and renovation of the Burma Camp in Accra and other places in the country as some of the noble achievements of the Ministry of Defence. "This is an indication that government attaches more attention to the security agencies and the ex-servicemen," he stressed. WO1. Mustapha appealed to government to help the Association put up offices in the districts in the region to enable it execute its activities at the local levels, saying land was already available for the exercise. Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Isaac Nsoh Amoah, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, explained that government recognised the important role ex-servicemen played in the development of the nation. "The enhancement of your pension scheme by government shows that it is committed to you for your rendered services," he said. He appealed to the ex-servicemen to use their rich experience to instil discipline in the youth to enable them desist from practicing anti-social vices. Mr Samari urged the veterans to hold periodic durbars to discuss and brainstorm on national issues and make their views on such issues known to government. "This government is all-inclusive and positive inputs from your membership will be studied and included in the governance of this country," he stated. Source: GNA