BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has empowered a mother of three blind University graduates who are natives of Abaomege in Onicha Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Chinwe Okah, approved the sum of N1 Million for the family to enable their mother to start up a business.
While handing the cheque over to the beneficiaries at the Ochudo Centenary City, New Government House, Abakaliki, Okah explained that from the investigation carried out by the ministry, Sampson, Onyemaechi and Joseph Echefu were from a family of five with three of them (all graduates), suffering from blindness from birth.
She said, “A family of five children from Abaomege in Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State, reported to my office with a letter seeking financial assistance because they are five children from their mother and three out of the five are blind.
“Their father is late and their mother who is taking care of them has no meaningful business. The ministry pitifully drafted a memo which I submitted to His Excellency, the Governor to help them. To God be the glory, His Excellency, with his human heart, graciously approved the sum of N1 Million for them. This money is to enable their mother to start up a business.
“I wish to thank our dear governor for what he has been doing in the lives of the less privileged in our society. Each time the Ministry of Women Affairs writes requests to him concerning the less privileged, he approves any amount of money the Ministry requests to empower the poorest of the poor in the state.”
She told the visually impaired siblings that the loss of their sight was not the end of the world for them, stressing that since God had assisted them to be graduates, there was hope.
Okah said that the Ministry would again write to the governor for them to be considered for pensionable jobs.
She encouraged them to report to the Ministry whenever they need help, praying that the money given to them may be judiciously invested into a business.
Earlier in his remark, the Director of Administration in the Ministry, Sylvester Obasi Nwangwu, said that Sampson, Onyemaechi and Joseph Echefu, on behalf of the family, submitted a request letter through the Commissioner to Governor Umahi.
Nwangwu pointed out that the letter signed by Sampson Echefu, elder brother to the three blind brothers and sister, was used to request for assistance to enable them because of their disabilities.
He said, “We raised the memo sent by the Honourable Commissioner and his Excellency approved money to assist them.”
Expressing appreciation to the government on behalf of the family, Onyemaechi Echefu said, “I lack words to adequately express my joy on behalf of my family to say a very big thank you to our able governor, the man who has us at heart, for his great financial assistance. We don’t have anything to reciprocate this benevolent gesture.
Through the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, we want to assure our governor that we are going to use the money judiciously.
“We suddenly became blind during our University years. It all started like normal eye defects. We were all on drugs because our father was alive then. Before you know it, my sight became blurred in 2010, months later; I lost my sight completely despite all efforts by the specialists at Federal Medical Center, Owerri, Imo State to restore them. The same thing happened to my two other siblings.”
The family is blessed with five children; three boys and two girls. It was alleged that they were attacked spiritually and consequently became blind.
Sampson is a graduate of University of Nigeria Nsukka; he studied Social Works. Onyemaechi studied Political Science at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State; while Joseph is a graduate of Business Management, UNN.
