Wife of Abia Gov. Mrs Ikpeazu(C) Comm For Women Affairs, Dcn Urenta(L) UNFPA Head of Office, Marija Rakovic and CPS To the wife of Abia Gov. Mr. Ojiegbe Chika (R) And Others At the Unveiling of GBV Policy Document At the VHF Centre in Umuahia Recently
The Wife of Abia Governor Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, has commended the United Nations Fund For Population Activities(UNFPA) for being major partners in efforts to provide meaningful life to people through support for family planning, safe motherhood, as well as fight against obstetric fistula, genital mutilation, gender issues and violence against women.
Mrs. Ikpeazu made the commendation during a working visit to her office in Umuahia today by the Head of Office United Nations Fund For Population Activities, Marija Rakovic and her team.
Mrs. Ikpeazu describes UNFPA as collaborators and partners whose goals are to better the live of all in the society.
According to her, “as we strive to meet our mandate in Abia, partnership entail support and on our part I want to restate the commitment of Abia State Government to fulfilling all obligations that would make for a smooth running of your programmes in the state including the counterpart contributions where they arise.
Again Governor Okezie Ikpeazu appreciates the pivotal role that development partners like yours play in growth and expansion of socio-economic and life indices of Abians and will always prioritize these collaborations.
Though Abia is not without its challenges but surmounting them is a task we owe the people of Abia” she said.
However, the Abia First Lady expressed that the state has reached near completion on the gender policy and hope to get the support of UNFPA for dissemination.
“We have also taken our gender advocacy to schools teaching them about leadership, interpersonal relationships and social values and commenced the review of the child rights law because a lot of its provisions have become obsolete and I am sure these are areas that will interest UNFPA” she further stated.
Earlier, the Head of Office UNFPA, Marija Rakovic said she was very impressed with what is on ground in Abia.
According to her, “wherever we talk about UNFPA, we are talking about gender issues and every other issues that affect women and the children, and with what I have seen here I know that there is a common ground for us to work together for the good of the people of Abia state” Marija said.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioner for women affairs and social development, Deaconess Urenta Nna and the Permanent Secretary Planning Commission, Dr. Nnenna Chikezie said that Abia state government has been intervening in the areas that affects women and children and the wife of Abia Governor has also been passionate to end all types of gender-based violence through her Vicar Hope Foundation.
Also contributing, the Chief Press Secretary to the wife of Abia Governor, Mr. Chika Ojiegbe explained that the Governor’s wife through her pet project has been assisting the vulnerable people assess good life.
Ojiegbe further stated that the First Lady has built 172 houses for indigent Abians and her springboard skills acquisition has trained 600, Abians of which 450 has been empowered.
She is also the prime mover of the Abia school free meal programme which has created employment for the cooks and increased public school enrollment in the state, Ojiegbe said.
