The wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel, has empowered more than 200 multiple birth families in the state, with cash and other gift items, amounting to hundreds of thousands of naira, at a multiple birth event which took place at the state’s civil service auditorium, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo.

At the maiden edition of the programme, the governor’s wife noted that the empowerment scheme became necessary to assist the families cope with the demands of raising multiple children, advising the multiple birth families to “accept the children as a source of blessing and not otherwise”, as she also appreciated her predecessor, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, for initiating the project.

Martha appealed to the beneficiaries’ husbands to encourage and support their wives to get involved in trade.

“No matter how little the money is, start something and make sure it multiplies,” the Akwa Ibom First Lady advised, and she however informed the benefiting parents that there would be a monitoring team charged with the responsibility of overseeing how well they were managing the resources.

The coordinator of the programme, Mrs. Ime Inyang, expressed appreciation to the governor’s wife, for sustaining the programme, describing her as “a mother with golden heart,” adding that the continuation of the project by the wife of the governor, was “to empower the multiple birth mothers to be economically dependable,” as she noted that “the empowerment of women remains paramount in the programmes and policies of this administration.”

Three beneficiaries, each from the three Senatorial Districts of the state, on behalf of the others, thanked the governor’s wife, for her benevolence, show of love and concern for the multiple birth mothers in the state, praying that God would continue to guide and sustain her good works.

News Expressreports that highlights of the occasion included health talk on Hygiene and Nutrition, given to them by a Chief Nursing Officer in the state, Mrs. Christy Akpan.

•Photo shows Mrs. Martha Emmanuel.