Wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs Patience Umo Eno, has empowered 600 senior citizens with cash, free medical care and gift items.
Celebrating the 600 elders, who received N50,000 each as part of the “ARISE Initiative For The Elderly (AIE),” Mrs Eno said it was a programme deliberately designed by the state government to identify the priority needs of senior citizens and to cater to such needs.
Addressing the beneficiaries at the maiden edition of the programme tagged “Celebrating Our Parents,” held at Government House Banquet Hall, Uyo, the state capital, the first lady applauded her husband, the governor, for initiating the programme.
She recalled that the programme was created after Akwa Ibom State had carried out the directive given to wives of governors in the country by Nigeria’s first lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, to host a similar programme in all the 36 states of the country, adding that the programme is expected to hold monthly, aimed at cushioning the effects of the hardship experienced by senior citizens.
The governor’s wife prayed that the beneficiaries of the programme would live long in good health to continue to enjoy all the benefits the government has in store for them.
“I want to pray that the Lord continue to strengthen you. May He keep you well, strong and sound even at 100 years old. You will all live beyond 100 years old. You will not leave us just yet,” she stressed.
In the same vein, the coordinator of the ARISE Initiative for the Elderly, Mrs Mercy Eka, said the event marks the beginning of the monthly programmes for the elderly.
She said the scheme which was conceived in support of the ‘Renewed Hope Initiative’ of the wife of the president, has been domesticated in the state to reach out to different sets of senior citizens every month, with provisions made for the elderly of other tribes resident in Akwa Ibom.
Mrs Eka said the 600 elderly persons for the maiden edition of the ARISE Initiative were selected from all the wards in the 31 local government areas of the state to receive stipends and medical care, assuring that more senior citizens would be accommodated.
