Ubani Newman
It is common knowledge that the Wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu has been greatly committed to better the lives of Abia women and make things different in the entire Nation. As at the last count, Mrs. Ikpeazu has trained and empowered over 1,600 women. This number certainly, does not include the ones she empowered informally and anonymously.
As it is in her nature, Mrs. Ikpeazu has not ceased to be in the vanguard of attending to the needy and providing help and assistance to widows and indigent people. The wife of the Governor, a great Amazon, has through her pet project embarked on several empowerments and skill acquisition programmes for various segments of women, both in Local Government Areas, organizations, groups and even churches.
In line with her resolve to sustain the women empowerment and ensure it is spread across various segments of the society, sometime last year, the Wife of the Governor and founder of Vicar Hope Foundation, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu commenced training of about 200 women of the Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC), Aba.
It was widely reported that the trainings were to be done in batches and that the first batch of 50 women were already undergoing the training then. Just yesterday, about 50 graduands of the first batch of the empowerment programme of the Wife of the Governor’s spring board skills acquisition programme at Christ the King Catholic Church Aba, in Aba South Local Government Area of the State were settled.
This first batch that graduated were trained in the areas of tailoring, fashion & designing, cosmetology (making of perfumes, air fresheners, etc) and bakery. Among the graduands, 24 were empowered with sewing machines, while 26 others were empowered with bakery equipment and other equipment to start business of their own.
Mrs. Ikpeazu has been in the vanguard of empowering the Abia women and residents. It could be recalled that in recent times, a set of 50 trainees of the Springboard Skill Acquisition Programme, powered by Mrs. Ikpeazu with support from the Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission and with technical assistance from National Directorate of Employment graduated in Ikwuano Local Government Area. Also, graduates of various skill acquisition programmes of Wife of Abia State Governor in Ukwa East Local Government Council smiled home with various equipment to start-up business.
Addressing the graduands, the Governor’s wife said, it is obligatory that women play a complimentary role in the economic well-being of the family and the society at large.
According to her, the target is to skillfully equip about 200 women in CKC and the empowerment will come in batches. She equally called on all to be peaceful in their conduct during the forthcoming elections.
Mrs. Ikpeazu also seized the opportunity to assist some indigent women from Aba South Local Government Area by giving them wrappers and other items to augment for their wellbeing. By these trainings, the women like their counterparts has been largely empowered with materials and cash to start their private businesses. They would now be able to support their families’ economic lives and even the society.
The beneficiaries were advised to be serious with their businesses as they have conquered unemployment by this singular action of the Governor’s wife. They should resist the temptation of abandoning the trainings and cash support given them for frivolities.
The way and manner this kind hearted wife of the Governor is taking the bull by the horn to extend democracy dividends to the women in Abia State and vigorously pursuing and supporting the vision of the Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, especially as it concerns empowerment of the women and the needy in Abia State is commendable.
Of a truth, with the introduction and sustenance of women empowerment in Abia State by the wife of the Governor in collaboration with her pet project, the Vicar Hope Foundation has affected lives of many women, youths and the vulnerable in the society has been blessed. This of course is in tandem with the vision of the Governor in creating jobs in the State by promoting Small and Medium Scale Enterprises which has returned Aba to its past glory.
It is equally commendable to hear that the church, CKC Aba, whose women were empowered assured that their votes are for the Governor of the State, in appreciation of the life empowerment extended to those women. Truly, the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has, in the last three years and more, consistently proved to both women and men of the State that he is capable of governing the State. Governor Ikpeazu has achieved much in this first tenure and has the capacity to do more in the next four years. Even the Chairman of the occasion and chaplain of the cathedral Reverend Father Walter Onumaegbu, described the action of the Governor’s wife as a great goodwill to the women of the Diocese. In his words, “I am also grateful that these women shows resilience in the cause of their training, these will go a long way to alleviate poverty within the state”.
The President Catholic Women Organizations, Lady Gloria Odochi Odoh, also stated that what the wife of Abia Governor has done for the women of CKC diocese has lasting impression on the church. Their mood and speeches were amplified by the State Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment in Abia, Lady Buchi Ojeh, who explained that it was was part of several training the agency has carried out in different LGAs of the State and in partnership with the Vicar Hope Foundation. According to her, “this training and empowerment is the vision of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led administration to reduce unemployment and poverty in the State”. She equally added that these ones will no longer be liabilities to anyone rather they have become employers of labour contributing to the economic growth of the State.
There is therefore, need to appreciate this gesture of the Governor’s wife. And the best way to show this appreciation is to sustain support for her and ensure that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu remains Abia Governor till 2023.
UNU,
16/01/2019
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