The wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Priscilla Otti
Abia State First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Otti said that she will continue to support the church because of the moral role they play in nation building.
This is even as she empowered 7, women and a man from St. Theresa Catholic Church, Olokoro in Umuahia the state capital during the church laity council celebration to start their own businesses.
Mrs. Otti represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mrs. Matilda Anyamele said that the grants to the women to start their own businesses will help them to continue to play their unique role as mothers and to complement their husbands financially in providing for the family.
The Governor’s wife expressed that gone are the days when women were relegated to the background.
She encouraged women to speak out against any form of violence as the state continue to advocate against gender-based violence.
In her address, the President of the Laity Council, Umuahia 1 Deanery, Mrs. Vivian Ogumike explained that the laity council celebration is a period where the council present it’s score card to the church.
She maintained that the laity council mission is to sanctify the word of God through catholic catechism.
Mrs. Ogumike also use the occasion to solicits for fund to enable the council purchase a vehicle for evangelical purposes.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Maureen Aghukwa call on the church to partner with government in its efforts to sensitise the public on dengers of gender based violence.
Dr. Aghukwa also encouraged women in the church to learn a skill or start trading to be financially independent to support in the family.
Earlier, chairman on the occasion, Dr. Chris Ugwu, said that the laity in the catholic faithful are unodained leaders of the church that works behind the scene for the progress of the church.