GBV SURVIVOR, MRS. AMARACHI ELIJAH OKPOKIRI RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM THE WIFE OF ABIA GOVERNOR, MRS. PRISCILLA OTTI
The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti said that there will be no hidden place for perpetrators of gender based violence in the state.
Mrs. Otti made the statement at Atta Emede Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia state as she visit to assess Mrs. Amarachi Elijah Okpokiri whose husband violated and attempted to murder for ritual purposes.
GBV survivor . Mrs. Amarachi Elijah Okpokiri
Mrs. Amarachi, whose husband, Mr. Lawrence Chukwunyere, is currently in detention for violating, mutilating, and attempting to pluck her eyes, is now recovering well. Thanks to the prompt intervention of Mrs. Priscilla Otti, the wife of Abia Stat Governor who paid all her medical expenses and also poised to support her start a business.
According to her, I am here to support and rejoice with Amarachi who God heals from the odeal she passed through in the hands of a man who suppose to protect her but chose otherwise.
“While Amarachi ‘s case may be just one out of many, our support for her aims to convey message that the administration of Governor Alex Otti cares for everyone and will not tolerate any form of gender-based violence in the state.
“Abia state is a signatory to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to combat gender-based violence and harmful social norms, so while we are advocating and sensitizing the public on dengers of GBV we will not fail to resort to appropriate laws to bring perpetrators to book”, Mrs. Otti said.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Blessing Felix, commended Mrs. Otti who followed up the case to ensure that Amarachi gets justice and also promised to establish her in any area she wishes to get her life back again.
“Her life is important to us and as a government every life of Abian matters to us.
“Gender based violence is a serious threat to womanhood and we will not tolerate it”.
In their separate contributions, while the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs. Chinwe Onyeukwu said that gender based violence affects mostly women and call for collaboration between government and traditional rulers to end it.
Her counterpart and also Director Abia Specialist eye care centre, Dr. Betty Emeka Obasi, expressed that Amarachi’s quick recovery is a miracle.
According to her, if you look at the medical aspect of her report, her pupils were not responding initially but today we are happy that she can see with her eyes.
Eze Allen Okpokiri of Atta Emede
In his response, Eze Allen Okpokiri said that he has not seen this kind of support before coming from the state government.
“When I visited Amarachi in the hospital and based on her hospital report I lost hope but today she is seeing with her eyes, thanks to the wife of the Governor who took it upon herself to ensure that Amarachi regain her health.
