Kumasi, July 6, GNA - Commodore Stephen George Obimpeh (rtd), National Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG), has assured old soldiers of continued government support.

He said given their unique service to the nation they deserved not only to be recognized but assisted to live in some dignity.

Commodore Obimpeh was addressing a durbar organized by members of the Ashanti Regional VAG in Kumasi during a day's familiarization tour. The visit was to provide him an opportunity to interact with the veterans, learn of their concerns and discuss how best to address them. He told the gathering that they were making every effort to get the law on Veterans Administration passed by Parliament and that when this was done there would be significant improvement in the living conditions of retired soldiers.

Commodore Obimpeh said the Association was also liaising with the National Lottery Authority to properly package the VAG raffle, their main source of funds.

He urged them to take advantage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to assure themselves of quality health care.

The association has begun an exercise to register all retired soldiers t= o help weed out 93ghosts" in the system, he said. Ex-Staff Sergeant Samuel Ofori, Ashanti Regional VAG Chairman, spoke of the need to renovate buildings at Guruguline, popularly called Ghana Legion, built as far back as 1948, which are now in bad shape. He said old soldiers affected by the Sofoline interchange project should be resettled.