By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
Friday, 3rd May 2024 was a stunning day for the Ebonyi council people as they welcomed the First Lady of Ebonyi State, Chief Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru at Ugbodo, their local government headquarters.
The wife of the governor visited the council for the historic flag-off and inauguration of the BERWO Committee, as well as the inauguration of the EB-CSDA assisted community micro Projects in Ebonyi Local Government Area.
BERWO as an acronym, actually means Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced People. It is a pet foundation of the Ebonyi State Governor's wife targeted at the real needs, wishes and aspirations of the people, especially the women and children.
On the other hand, EB-CSDA is the Ebonyi Community Social Development Agency, which champions the initiation and execution of some critical projects meant for rural utilisation and advancement.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Mrs Nwifuru said she was overwhelmed by the togetherness and peaceful disposition of the stakeholders and people of the Ebonyi council area.
She commended their massive support and votes for her husband and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC during the 2023 general elections.
She explained that her visit to the council was to inaugurate some critical projects of the government, and local government BERWO committee members.
The wife of the governor promised that she and her team would never relent in addressing the plights of mothers, children and internally displaced persons in the state.
According to her, BERWO would always champion unique social courses for the betterment of humanity, by giving equal access to individuals in the areas of education, health and empowerment.
Mrs Nwifuru also promised to enrol 100 persons between zero to five years old children including aged mothers and fathers into the Ebonyi State Insurance Scheme free of charge, to embrace the spirit of the Peoples Charter of Needs Mantra of Governor Francis Nwifuru, her husband.
She noted that her BERWO Foundation in conjunction with the Ebonyi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has concluded a plan to flag off vaccination against human papillomavirus virus which causes cervical cancer in females and of course, cancer in males in this month, May 2024.
While enumerating various interventions already embarked on by the BERWO, she stated that the foundation has begun an enrollment of people living with hyenas for free surgical operation across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State.
She, however, advocated for peaceful homes, noting that her theme for the year 2024 was that there should be no violence in various households in the state.
In his address, the Executive Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, Prince Chinedu Uburu said the joy of the council people knew no bounds for the governor's visit and her positive impacts on them through her pet foundation in less than a year in office.
Uburu maintained that Mrs Nwifuru as mother of Ebonyi State with her productive inspiration gave birth to BERWO, which has recorded practical positive impacts on the lives of Ebonyi women, the aged, orphans, widows and vulnerable persons across the state.
"I am proud to inform Her Excellency that testimonies are piling up and concretizing the people’s joy as a result of good and people-oriented governance in our beloved state– the salt of the nation. To God be the glory! To me and the good people of Ebonyi Local Government Area, BERWO is the antidote to the harsh economic realities of the present day Nigeria," the Chairman hinted.
He assured that the council would continue to pray and support BERWO with the fullness of its strength as a government.
The Council Boss said that his administration has prioritized the fight against all nagging issues confronting the rural women, children and internally displaced persons across the Ebonyi Local Government Area 'in line with the mandate of BERWO as encapsulated in the award-winning people’s Charter of Needs mantra of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State.'
He enumerated his accomplishments cutting across infrastructure and human capital development since assumed office and equally led the governor's wife to lay foundational blocks for the Ebonyi Local Government Ultra Modern Office Complex.
In his goodwill message, the Principal Secretary to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Matthias Adum described the BERWO Foundation as a practical notch in actualizing the dreams of Ebonyi founding fathers since, in his words, any government whose favourable impacts were not largely felt by the rural people has gone awry.
Adum commended the Ebonyi First Lady's achievements so far with BERWO and urged massive support for the successful execution of the good plans by the foundation in line with the government policies and programmes in the state.
In consonance, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Stephen Uchenna Igwe rated the performance of the governor's wife high with the BERWO foundation.
In Igwe's words, "Her Excellency has brought much succour to Ebonyi people and that's why the mothers, fathers and children especially the vulnerable persons are rejoicing.
"In the areas of health, education, empowerment and many others, she has performed creditably well. She offers free medical services to pregnant women, and children, addressing plights of the vulnerable people - the widows, orphans and other downtrodden in the state. She is advocating for free violence homes and that's exemplified her as a true mother of Ebonyi state, in considering the transformation going on in Ebonyi through her husband and our dear Governor, His Excellency Rt Hon Builder Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru."
The Commissioner further commended both Governor Nwifuru and his wife for prioritizing the welfare of Ebonyi people particularly the rural inhabitants by revamping the traditional rulership system, standardizing the primary healthcare system, education, and security and enhancing other social amenities, saying the BERWO would expand the government lofty projects more in the state.
Contributing, the member representing Ebonyi North East State Constituency, Hon Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga commended the governor's wife and described BERWO as a foundation which prioritizes human interest for the overall development of the state.
Mrs Nwogbaga who was the immediate past Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area noted that the State Assembly has passed eight bills into law, established for the interest of human development. "BERWO stands for humanity, the well-being of mothers, children and internally displaced persons in the state, doing wonderful well in the areas of education, health and empowerment. If you carefully look at the focused areas of the foundation, you realize that the inspiration behind it is divine. Stepping the program down to the hinterland is another wisdom of Her Excellency and we will give her all necessary support to have more success records."
In addition, the former Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chief Ikechukwu Nwankwo identified as the most unique and timely, inauguration of the BERWO local government committee, saying the step would facilitate the programmes of the foundation in the state.
Nwankwo who is currently the Chairman, of the Market Development Board, noted that the wives of former governors in Ebonyi had different pet foundations during their time and further commended Mrs Nwifuru for having in her wisdom chosen to stimulate better health, education and empowerment for rural mothers, children and internally displaced persons among other interventions in the state.
Further, the Coordinator of Ebonyi Development Centre, Comrade Destiny Uchenna Nwodom described the visit of the governor's wife as a great blessing to the Ebonyi council people.
"On announcing the one-day working visit of Her Excellency to the Ebonyi Local Government Area, the Taste of Salt, she was ushered in by rainfall last night, which signifies blessings from Heaven have landed in this council area.
"This is the first of its kind, no scorching sunlight and heat like we witnessed in other council areas, she had visited before now. We are very happy as individuals and as a government, because Her Excellency is doing more than expected, through her pet foundation, BERWO, she has been able to bring succour to many lives, especially vulnerable people including women, children and orphans in this state. As a government in the rural area, we are going to consolidate that projected line of this pet project, by stepping it down to the rural area.
"We will be going from hospital to hospital by emulating what Her Excellency is doing, assisting indigent patients to offset their hospital bills. We will also help the students especially the vulnerable ones - the orphans and physically challenged ones by offering them scholarships or paying their school fees. In our Development Centre, we will always do these and embark on other humanitarian services to complement the effort of the wife of the Governor through the BERWO Foundation."
It could be recalled that the event was massively attended by government functionaries from the Ebonyi council area and beyond, as others from academic, business and religious classes applauded the achievements of the BERWO since its inauguration and prayed for the successful operation of the foundation In touching lives in the state.
