First Lady of Akwa Ibom, Patience Umo Eno, has reached out to aged citizens in the state with medicare and social empowerment scheme that are meant to make their old age a lot more convenient.
At the event which held at the weekend in Uyo, the state capital, 101-year-old Obonganwan Arit Willie Ekpo, from Uyo Local Government Area, was among the 1,200 senior citizens who benefited from the outreach.
According to organisers, the event was designed to ameliorate the effect of the harsh socio-economic realities in the country on the senior citizens in the state, during which the state’s first lady bestowed cash gifts of N50,000 each and medical care on the 1,200 beneficiaries drawn from the 31 LGAs.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Eno explained that the ARISE Initiative For the Elderly Support Scheme (AIESC), a programme established by the government, is in support of the wife of the President, Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative for the Elderly Support Programme (RHIESP).
In her remark at the event, ‘Caring for our parents’, Mrs Eno explained that the programme combined the May and June editions with 600 beneficiaries selected from each edition.
While acknowledging the years of service put in by the senior citizens in the advancement and development of the state, the governor’s wife expressed her continuous commitment to their health and well-being.
She said: “This particular edition of the programme is special because it is an august celebration of a merger of two sets of beneficiaries for May and June, hence this convergence of 1,200 of our aged parents.
“As a government, we are committed to your health and well-being, hence the establishment of this monthly programme by my dear husband, your governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
“Today, I acknowledge, as always, the contributions made by the men and women seated in this hall to the rapid development of the state, and I appeal to you all to prioritise your health, nurture your minds and strengthen your bonds with loved ones and with God.”
In her remark, the commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. Ini Adiakpan, appreciated the governor and his wife for the programme, noting that it has relieved beneficiaries of pains associated with the nation’s harsh economy.
Adiakpan assured that her ministry would soon domesticate the National Ageing Framework (NAF), to serve as a guide for caring the elderly in the state.
Similarly, the coordinator of the ARISE Initiative For the Elderly, Mrs Mercy Eka, described the programme as one of the many people-oriented initiatives targeted at supporting those in need and giving hope to the poorest of the poor in the state.
The event featured a special tribute and presentation of gifts to Obongawan Arit Willie Ekpo, a 101-year-old from the Uyo local government area, who spoke on behalf of the recipients and thanked the governor and his wife for giving every Akwa Ibom person a sense of belonging.
Another beneficiary and non-indigene, 65-year-old Hassan Bello of the Arewa community in the state, expressed his appreciation.
