Maureen Okpe
In a heartwarming gesture marking her one-year anniversary in office, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye,extended a helping hand to vulnerable members of the society by settling the hospital bills of indigent patients.
This act of kindness underscores the Minister’s commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians, particularly women and children, and reinforces the Ministry’s dedication to promoting social welfare and human dignity.
The Minister, accompanied with friends visited the female and children’s wards, among others at the National Hospital, Abuja, Wednesday, to put a smile on the faces of the less privileged.
During the visit, the Ministry through the Honourable Minister, paid for chemotherapy sessions for Cancer patients, reduced the Hospital bills of some others and cleared the payments of some patients who had been discharged but held back because of lack of funds to offset their treatment bills.
“I feel a lot of pain when I see Nigerians suffering and decided that as I mark my one-year in Office as Minister in charge of women, children and the vulnerable, I will come with friends and associates to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said
She called on Philanthropists and well meaning Nigerians to join hands with the President in his commitment, not only to alleviate poverty but also to make Nigeria a home for all.
Earlier, Kennedy-Ohanenye while briefing the media in her office, announced plans by the Ministry to hold a Dinner and Fund Raising Programme on October 15, 2024 with a view to enhancing the gender’s economic base
The Fund Raising Programme is targeted at raising capital, equipment and other essentials that will among others, raise financial and material support that will boost the gender’s economic base and in the long runalleviate poverty, create job opportunities while also curbing crimes and criminalities in the country.
“Untill women are adequately empowered issues of out of school children, early marriage, sexual and gender based violence cannot be tackled effectively,” she stressed.
One of the stakeholders of the empowerment scheme and Founder John Bosco Foundation, John-Bosco Onunkwo noted that, the support will be multidimensional.
According to Onunkwo, “From what she(the Minister),is saying is that any partnership to aid women from poverty must be technically and commercially advantaged and the bulk of our support will be on funds,” he said.