The wife of the governor of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano, has applauded her husband for holding women in such a great esteem that he appointed a considerable number of them into key positions in his cabinet.
Speaking when she visited Awka North, Njikoka, Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Awka South Local Government head-quarters as part of her ongoing tour of communities in the 21 Local Government Areas of the State, Mrs. Obiano stated that Anambra women had proved to be ultimate power brokers and kingmakers during elections. She revealed that the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ) was formed by her as a Non-Governmental Organization to touch and uplift the lives of indigent widows, women and the less privileged amongst others as a result of the encouragement and support she receives from her husband and charged women to remain obedient to their husbands in good and bad times.
The wife of the governor also pointed out that women should play supportive role to their husbands, stressing that her supportive role to Governor Obiano who is focused on providing governance has resulted in the massive transformation of the State in a short time.
She recalled that her husband’s worry at the plight of the destitute in parts of the State challenged her to hit the streets to rescue and rehabilitate 68 mentally challenged persons who hitherto roamed the streets out of which 32 had been treated and re-united with their kit and kin.
Chief (Mrs.) Obiano further revealed that Governor Obiano had attracted investment portfolio worth about $2.5bn million, improved the Internally-Generated Revenue from N500 million to N1.3 billion, increased workers salary by 15 percent and cleared inherited arrears of salaries of workers of Water Corporation to the tune of N1.9 billion.
She also revealed that it was after her interaction with different women groups, especially the market women that she commenced the building of market toilet projects in select community markets across the three senatorial zones of the State as part of CAFÉ environmental hygiene promotion campaign aimed at preserving the dignity of market women. Already, construction of the toilets is ongoing at Alor, Nteje and Mbaukwu among other communities across the State.
Governor Obiano’s wife pointed out that the tour was to alert women and young ones about the skill acquisition programme of her NGO and advised them to go to their respective LGAs or go to her Office at Government House, Awka to submit their application forms indicating areas of their chosen skill for training from January 2016.
She disclosed that her NGO is already constructing modern houses for widows in replacement of mud houses in such locations as Nri, Umunya, Agulu, Alor and Enugu-Otu for a start, promising to reach other areas in due course.
Mrs. Obiano advised parents not to feel ashamed to bring out their children who are physically challenged and who may be suffering any other form of natural challenge to her for proper treatment and care if they cannot handle them, adding that she had rescued abandoned babies, given them best medical attention and quality nourishment that changed their lives.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Awka North Local Chairman Council Chairman, Mr. Cosmas Okonkwo, promised that the transformation brought by the administration was an assurance of second term in office.
Also speaking, the wife of the Council Chairman, Rosemary Okonkwo, thanked the Obiano administration for paying special attention to women, and Mrs. Obiano for caring for the less privileged ones, attesting that some of her compatriots were among the mentally-deranged persons rescued, rehabilitated and released after proper care and treatment at Nteje.
Mrs. Okonkwo recalled that the Governor’s wife had made the presentation of gifts to widows and less privileged ones as a yearly event, and assured of the loyalty and support of the women of the area to the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Governor Obiano’s second term bid.