Gov’s Wife Rekindles Hope of the Vulnerable in Cross River
2 min read
Olanrewaju Arotimi, Calabar
Wife of the Cross River State Governor, Rev. Mrs. Eyoawan Bassey Otu, has promised to give succour to vulnerable children in the society in order to improve their living standard.
Mrs. Otu made the pledge yesterday shortly after an on the spot visit and assessment of the childrens’ plight across different locations in Calabar.
Represented by one of her senior aides, Dr. Mrs. Comfort Oko, the first lady said the visit was an opportunity for her to identify the specific needs of the children with a view to develop an all-inclusive plan to assuage them.
She encouraged the children to be of good behaviour, noting that every child has potential, irrespective of their societal position.
According to her, “Our visit to you is to provide succor, psychosocial support, education and livelihood opportunities to vulnerable children.”
Also speaking, Special Assistant to the First Lady on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), Jeff Adamade said the level of commitment exhibited by her Excellency’s office was an indication of the government’s policy direction towards social welfare.
He said by extending a helping hand to street children, the government is paving the way for a promising, brighter and more equitable future.
“Plans are underway to enroll the children whose preference is going back to school, while others who prefer to learn a skill will be linked with professionals in various skills.
The collective effort seeks to provide a holistic support system that addresses the immediate needs of street children while fostering long-term solutions,” he said.
Our correspondent reports that successive administrations in the state alongside some non-governmental organizations had severally attempted to proffer solutions to the challenge of street children generally known as “skolombo” in Calabar, but to no avail.
