Governor’s wife inaugurates project in Okobo

Akwa Ibom First Lady, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio

Princess Felicia Bassey, Chairman, Okobo Local Govt Area 

 

… Scores chairman high

Eminent personalities in the State have poured encomiums on the   for evolving programmes to curb youth restiveness, unemployment, poverty, hunger and some other vices through youth empowerment initiative.

Princess Bassey received praises on Wednesday, October 2nd on the occasion of the inauguration of some life-touching projects for young women and widows and the graduation of 240 youths, with relevant equipment in skills acquisition programme.

The projects inaugurated were a perimeter fence/gate house, a modern motor park and a Harvest plus project.

Among those who spoke credibly of the developmental strides of the Okobo Leader were the wife of the state Governor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, the member representing Oron Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Mr. Robinson Uwak, PDP State Chieftain, Chief Jerry Okpo, former Speaker of State House of Assembly, Chief Peter Linus Umoh, member representing Okobo State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Efefiong Antigha, President of ESSU Nlap Oro, Apostle Etim Ante, and State Coordinator of NISE, Arc. (Mrs.) Patience N. Osunkwo.

Mrs. Akpabio expressed satisfaction and fulfillment at the Stella performance of Princess Felicia Bassey, who she described as an astute administrator, hugely committed to transforming the lives of the youths, young women, widows and the entire people of Okobo Local Government Area.

The State First Lady thanked Okobo people for giving her a chance to be the first female Chairperson of Okobo Local Government Area, noting that so far, she has justified the confidence reposed in her by turning things around in the area for the emergence of an egalitarian society.

The wife of the Executive Governor was particularly elated with the Harvest plus projects, which she observed, had effectively engaged the rural women in agricultural production. She stressed that before long, Okobo would emerge the food basket of the state while saluting Princess Felicia Bassey for her youth empowerment programmes, which she said would drastically reduce youth unemployment thus, curbing criminalities in the area.

Later at a civic reception in her honour, Mrs. Ekaette Akpabio, who broke into songs of praises for the Executive Chairman of Okobo local government, acknowledged that the saying that a woman can do what a man can do better is true and called for the support, cooperation and encouragement of the citizens to enable the Princess Bassey led administration to deliver more democratic dividends to them. 

In her address at the civic reception, the Executive Chairman of Okobo Local Government Area, Princess Felicia Bassey noted that Okobo people are proud of Her Excellency’s landmark achievements in changing the fortunes of the less-privileged, the physically challenged, the widows, the stigmatized and the exploited children of Akwa Ibom State.

Princess Bassey disclosed that asides the projects inaugurated, her administration had trained 240 youths in ICT; sponsored two free medical treatment exercises for 1500 persons with 96 surgical operations in collaboration with the Hospital Management Board, sponsored plastic surgery for Miss Imaobong Afahakan at UUTH, graded 20 roads in 10 wards and opened five new roads; renovated the chairman’s office, procured 3 new vehicles for the chairman, the leader and the head of the local government service, paid salaries promptly and other entitlements.

The Okobo Chairperson explained that these life-touching and people-oriented projects were in line with the uncommon transformation agenda of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio and pledged to do more in the years ahead. She said the skills acquisition programme was formed by the desire to empower the youths to be self-reliant in order to enhance the living standard of many families.

Princess Bassey told Her Excellency that the motor park was the best in the history of Okobo Local Government Area and that it will boost economic activities in the area. The women who had formed themselves in 24 cooperative societies to improve their lots appealed to Her Excellency by way of grants and soft loans to enable them stand on their feet, expressing that the best was yet to come.

Present at the event were members of Her Excellency’s entourage, which included the Commissioner for Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Atim Antai, her Women Affairs counterpart, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Edet, wife of the SSG, Legislators’ wives, Permanent Secretaries, the political class, PDP stalwarts and a host of others.