How my wife supported women’s particiapation in Akwa Ibom politics

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State on Thursday said his late wife, Patience, was a great “advocate for women in politics” and demanded 40 per cent participation of women in all strata of life.

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Mr Eno stated this in Uyo at an event marking the first anniversary of Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), a pet project initiated by his late wife.

The Akwa Ibom First Lady died of an undisclosed illness last year.

At the event, Mr Eno said his wife was a “deeply humane person” and credited the former First Lady with 40 per cent of women’s representation in politics in the state.

“She was also a great advocate for women in politics, demanding 40 per cent of women’s participation in all strata of life. Today we can now see that we have 40 per cent of councillors.

“I remember most times she would come to me and say, UB, what of the women’s lists – please give us our 40 per cent, and I am sure the women are proud.

“If you are a councillor today and you are a lady, you are commissioner today, and you are a woman, you’re a chairman, you are a woman, you are 40 per cent. You owe to the work that Patience Eno did as an advocate for women,” he added.

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Speaking further, the governor said over 600 elders in the state are given N50,000 each for their upkeep every month, an initiative he said has been warmly embraced by the people and promised to sustain it.

Mr Eno said the state government would continue to assist the vulnerable with ARISE humanitarian homes, a project he said her late wife was very passionate about, in addition to maternal care and gender-based violence.

“I see the zeal that Helen (his daughter and Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady) pursues this gender-based violence.

“Still part of things she (his wife) did, we would flag off the mother-and-child hospital in the medical corridor between Ikot Ekpene and Ibom Multi-specialty Hospital. We want our pregnant women to be cared for,” the governor stressed and added that he would later in the day lay the foundation for the headquarters of GIFA in the state.

GIFA is impacting lives – Helen Obareki

Earlier in her remark, the Governor’s first daughter and Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Helen Obareki, told the gathering that GIFA embodies her late mother’s vision and passion for uplifting the lives of women, children, the elderly, and the vulnerable.

“GIFA, in just one year, has made significant strides in areas of education where over 15,000 pupils have received school supplies, residents of rural communities have access to free healthcare through the GIFA Wheels of Hope Programme as well as economic empowerment of over 5,000 women.”

“The impact has been tremendous and has been felt across the state, and we are proud of the progress made so far,” she said, acknowledging that more work still needs to be done.

She promised to build on her late mother’s legacy by impacting the lives of the vulnerable and enhancing the lives of families in the state.

Mrs Obareki said GIFA has made significant strides and has undertaken many projects, including building and handing over a Cassava and Oil Processing Mill to a middle-aged father of six in Ikot Udo, Ini Local Government Area, in the last year.