Photo: Dr. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, First Lady, Cross River State
By: Mandy Park
The First Lady of Cross River State and Founder, Humanity Without Borders Empowerment Initiative, Bishop Dr. (Mrs) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, has empowered the residents of Odukpani Local Government Area (LGA) of the state with Engine boats, sewing machines, hair dressing salon kits, motorcycles, solar lights, mini buses, pregnant women kits, barbing salon kits, POS machines and Cash grants.
This was contained in a report released by Faith Okon-Egbujiem, the Press Secretary to the Wife of the Governor, Bishop Otu.
According to the report, the event, which was held at Eki ward of Odukpani LGA, was aimed at empowering the locals to start or scale their various businesses.
Speaking at the event, Bishop Otu highlighted the importance of the empowerment, stating that she expects them to use the items gifted them judiciously.
“I want to appeal to you, to use the items given to you judiciously. You know I don’t have a budget I work with, but from whatever I receive from well-meaning individuals, I try to give back to humanity. Today, we are giving out ten (10) engine boats, eighteen (18) sewing machines, twelve (12) hair dressing salon kits, eighteen (18) motor cycles, six (6) mini buses, thirty (30) solar lights, eighteen (18) grinding machines, six (6) barbing salon kits, thirty (30) POS machines with N20,000 cash attached for startup, one hundred (100) mother and child care kit/pregnancy kit, and one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) cash grants to 30 female petty traders.
“I would like to thank everyone who has supported this empowerment in cash and kind, the likes of Engr. Ben Akak, the National Deputy Treasurer of the biggest party in Africa, the APC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong Jr., Prince Edwin Okon, Chairman Cross River State Internal Revenue Service, and all others who i can’t mention because of time, the Lord bless you all,” the Cross River first lady said.
Also speaking at the event, the Senator representing Cross River Southern Senatorial District, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, lauded the First Lady for her magnanimity. “The last time we saw this sort of empowerment was when His Excellency, the Governor, Senator Prince Bassey Otu was in the Senate. Her Excellency is definitely learning from the source, and we are learning from her, we will do our best to adopt it for our people,” Senator Ekpenyong assured.
The Chairman, Odukpani LGA, Rt. Hon. Chief Ukpong Etim Asido thanked the First Lady for the initiative to restore power in Odukpani after many years of total blackout, with the help of His Excellency, the Governor.
The Chairman Cross River State Internal Revenue Service, Prince Edwin Okon, who was the host for the event, thanked the First Lady for empowering his people. According to him, considering the tightness of her schedule, the visit lingered for a long time, but it was worth the wait because the lives of many people in Odukpani have been greatly impacted by this empowerment.
In attendance were the Wife of the Member representing Odukpani/Calabar Municipality Federal Constituency, Mrs Asi Akiba, Wife of the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mrs Nelly Ayambem, Wife of the Chief of Staff, Ass. Prof. Virginia Ironbar, APC Vice Chairman South, Hon. Titi Ndifon, and a host of other political appointees, Chairmen of Local Governments, and Councillors of wards.
Highlight of the event was the cutting of the first lady’s 62nd birthday celebration cake by team Alice, led by her Head of Protocol, Alice Ndem.
