The wife of Akwa Ibom Governor, Dr (Mrs) Martha Udom Emmanuel inaugurated and handed over a well-furnished two-bedroom bungalow each to two indigent families whose living conditions were appalling.
She inaugurated the houses at Eyibia Edikor village in Udung Uko local government area, and Atte village in Urue Offong Oruku local government area, on Thursday 3 June.
There were tears of joy from the beneficiary families, Mr/Mrs Victor Edet James, a family with 5 children from Udung Uko LGA and Mr/Mrs John Effiong Ede, a family with 12 children from Urue Offong Oruko LGA.
In their separate appreciation, the beneficiaries recounted how they once lived in tattered houses with no roofs, saying they never dreamt of owning comfortable abodes in their lifetime.
They thanked God for the administration of State Governor Udom Emmanuel, and wife Martha, for being God sent, praying that He will grant their heart desires.
Dr Emmanuel also extended her support to 30 women in each LGA with cash gifts and wrappers.
Tagged ‘Shelter of Hope,’ the houses were built through the governor’s wife nongovernmental platform, the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Programme (FEYReP).
Speaking shortly after inaugurating the houses, Dr Emmanuel who appreciated God for His grace to positively impact lives across the state through the shelter of hope project, said she was only just a vessel in the hand of God.
She noted that the housing scheme was initiated to provide comfortable abodes for the poorest of the poor in the state, stressing that it was not only limited to widows or widowers but that indigent families, independently identified by a team of FEYReP officials have also been great beneficiaries of the scheme across the state.
The First Lady thanked her husband Mr Udom Emmanuel whom she described as the pillar of FEYReP for supporting her vision, stressing that but not for him, the successes recorded over the past six years would not have been possible.
She also used the events to inform the rural women of the ongoing interest free loans being given out by the FEYReP Multipurpose Cooperative Society, urging that they take advantage of the scheme to be economically reliant.
To the beneficiaries, the governor’s wife charged them not to lose hope as God has not forgotten them, and as well encouraged that they hold fast on God’s word for their protection.
In her motherly disposition, Dr Emmanuel also extended her support to 30 women in each local government area with cash gifts and wrappers.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Udung Uko LGA, Hon. Atanang Usung in his welcome remarks thanked Dr. Emmanuel for locating his area for the laudable project, saying it has given great relief to the indigent family.
Similarly, his Urue Offong Oruko counterpart, Hon. Mrs. Precious Selong while also welcoming the governor’s wife to her domain, thanked her for the shelter of hope project and promised to partner her to do more in the area.
Mrs Selong donated a deep freezer to the family to help kickstart a business, while also praying that the good Lord will reward the governor’s wife for her benevolence.
At both venues, there were goodwill messages from political stakholders of the areas who all eulogized the good works of the governor’s wife in the state while also supporting her work financially.
They thanked the governor’s wife for her humane disposition through her pet project and prayed God to fortify her with more grace to do more in years ahead.