Juvenile teenagers at the Uyo Medium Custodial Centre have been assured of a better future by the first lady of Akwa Ibom State, Mrs. Patience Umo Eno, who visited the centre at the weekend.
While urging them not to allow their future to be truncated through confinement in the facility, Mrs Eno advised them to turn a new leaf when discharged, promising to ensure proper rehabilitation and re-integration into the society with functional skills and other forms of empowerment.
She advised the confined teenagers not to condemn themselves, as God still loves them, stressing that irrespective of the mistakes that brought them there, God has the merciful disposition to forgive.
Governor Eno’s wife explained that her visit to the centre became necessary in order to share words of encouragement with the children and donate gift items and advised them to take advantage of the discipline instilled in them to become change agents, as well as ambassadors of Christ in the society.
She said: “Today I came to greet you and I’m glad to see your faces. You are too beautiful and handsome to be here. The mistakes made is the reason why you are here and by that, you have denied yourselves of life’s privileges.
“I want to let you know that you are not here because God hates you. It doesn’t matter what you have done in the past, He still loves you. I want you to promise me that you will truly change and become better children to yourselves and this state.”
The governor’s wife who said she was determined to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate the children into the society, also urged them not to lose focus on their dreams and pledged her commitment to their welfare.
In her remarks, the coordinator of her pet project, FEYReP, Dr. Idorenyin Ekanem, thanked her for the visit and told her that the children were being trained on various skills like shoemaking, tailoring and basic education.
