The Nation Newspaper

Tag: indigent

  • Orji’s wife frees 11 ‘detained’ indigent nursing mothers

    THe wife of Abia State Governor, Lady Mercy Odochi Orji, yesterday ordered the release of 11 indigent nursing mothers at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, the state capital, over non-payment of their N1.017million hospital bills.

    Mrs Orji gave the order at the Nkasiobi ward of the hospital during her traditional visit to the 2013 Baby of the Year.

    Miss Favour Chimezie Uchendu, from Obowo, Imo State, is the hospital’s baby of the year.

    She was born at the Amachara General Hospital at 1.40am yesterday and weighed 3.5kilogrammes.

    The baby was, however, admitted at the FMC.

    Mrs Orji also promised to pay of the hospital bills of Messrs Ufere Ibe (N158,000) and Sylvanus Umoh (N364,000) both of the Male Surgical Ward, as well as Mrs Ndidi Nwobike (N41,000), an expectant mother.

    The indigent nursing mothers danced and sang the praises of the governor’s wife.

    They thanked her for rescuing them, having spent about four months in the hospital because of their inability to settle their bills.

    Mrs Orji also visited Master Emmanuel Ndudi, from Uturu, Isuikwuator Local Government, who was the first baby at FMC, Umuahia.

    He was born at 6am and weighed 2.5kilogrammes.

    The governor’s wife hailed the hospital workers for ensuring the safe delivery of the two children.

     

  • Ekiti pioneers food bank for indigent citizens

    Indigent families in Ekiti State have been given a new lease of life with the introduction of a Food Bank.

    It will provide food for widows, the elderly, orphans and the vulnerable monthly.

    The Food Bank is an initiative of two Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) – the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF), founded by the Governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, and the Centre for Reproductive and Family Health Initiative (CRFHI).

    Mrs. Deborah Owoseni (80) shed tears of joy when Governor Kayode Fayemi presented some foodstuff to her.

    Over 100 families from the 16 local government areas benefited from the gesture.

    Items distributed included bags of rice, gari, beans, wheat powder, tubers of yam, tin tomato, seasoning cubes, noodles, salt, semovita, frozen fish, frozen chicken, palm oil, vegetable oil, dried pepper, crayfish and fresh fish.

    Other beneficiaries will be fed once daily in the proposed second phase of the project.

    Fayemi restated his administration’s resolve to eradicate poverty through interventions and collaborations with individuals, NGOs and corporate bodies.

    He said: “The more people we have on the streets with begging bowls, the more obvious it is that we are not doing enough as a government to alleviate poverty.

    “If people come to our state and they do not see anyone begging for

    alms, they would realise how far we have gone in creating a relatively level-playing society.”

    He praised his wife and CFRHI President Dr. Richie Adewusi for sparing a thought for the indigent.

    The governor pledged 10 per cent of his farm produce as his personal contribution to the project and urged individuals and organisations to support the initiative.

    Erelu Fayemi said Ekiti is the first state in the country to have a structured programme for feeding its indigent at no cost to the beneficiaries.

    She said the Ministry of Agriculture had liaised with

    10 top commercial farmers in the state to contribute some of their output to the food bank.

    Erelu Fayemi warned the beneficiaries against selling the items given to them.

    Adewusi thanked the state government for supporting the initiative.