ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONER’S WIFE HOSTS ONIONG WEST WARD 1 WOMEN
…provides financial assistance to 150 grassroots women
…receives Award of Excellence from NCWS ONNA Chapter
Women and stakeholders of Oniong West Ward I, in ONNA Local Government Area, were in high spirits on Friday, 26, 2022, as they were hosted to a thank-you parley by the wife of the Honourable Commissioner for Economic Development, Mrs. Iniobong Emem Bob.
The event which took place at the residence of the Honourable Commissioner in Mkpa Eto village, also saw Mrs. Bob gifting financial assistance to 150 women across the three villages of Mkpa Eto, Ikot Edor and Ikot Iko Ibon that make up the ward.
The Commissioner’s wife who was earlier in the day at the ONNA Council Secretariat for the chapter inauguration of the National Council for Women Societies was also honoured by the ONNA Chapter with an Award of Excellence “for her numerous contributions to the advancement of women in the local government area.”
In response, she dedicated the award first to God, for His grace upon her life and secondly to her husband and daughter for their support and encouragement.
Speaking at the thank-you parley, the Commissioner’s wife while addressing the large turnout of women and youths of the area, said the event was her way of specially saying thank-you to the women who according to her have been of immense support since her husband was appointed a Commissioner in the State.
She said, “it was incumbent upon her that from time to time she sits with the women to interact, show love and birth avenues that would help elevate the status of women in the ward and the local government.”
Mrs. Bob while noting that this was the first in the series to come, took out time to praise the grassroots women for their massive and unalloyed support to the Peoples Democratic Party and the Governor Udom Emmanuel-led administration in the State, saying that with the quantum of developmental strides in the area, it was necessary for them to keep faith with the party and Pastor Umo Eno to sustain peace and development.
“I am here today to say thank you to my mothers, the grassroots generals for the massive support and love that has accompanied my husband’s appointment as a Commissioner in the state. You have stood firm over the past few months with your unalloyed support and encouragement and so I’ve come to say that we are grateful. We appeal that you continue in this support,” the Commissioner’s wife said.
Mrs. Bob who was full of praise for the Governor’s wife for being ‘an exemplar in leadership for all Akwa Ibom women’ said her non-governmental platform FEYReP has provided lifelines to so many vulnerable families in the area and the state at large.
Similarly, in their separate goodwill messages, a cross-section of ONNA female stakeholders such as the wife of Executive Chairman of Council, Dr. Mrs. Idoreyen Ekanem, wife of the member representing ONNA State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Mrs. Ndifreke Nse Essien, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization, Rev. Mrs. Rose Wills and wife of the former Paramount Ruler of ONNA, Akwaobongawan Patience Akpabio Udo Ukpa, while thanking the Commissioner’s wife for emulating the governor’s wife in almsgiving, urged the women to continue in their support to the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Peoples Democratic Party.
They said this was the only political platform through which many positive developments would be birthed in the ward and local government area.
In a vote of thanks, Mrs. Enobong Frank, who is the PDP woman ward leader, poured encomiums on Mrs. Iniobong Bob for her sterling leadership since her husband became a member of the State Executive Council, saying they have never had it so good at the grassroots level. They promised to work with her at all times toward the success of the PDP government and the succession plan of the government.
The event was attended by the wife of the Paramount Ruler of ONNA, Her Royal Majesty, Nwaowo Raymond Inyang, mother of the Commissioner for Economic Development, Obongawan Margaret Udo Isang, and a friend of the family, Mrs. Ifiokobong Akan, the high point of the event was the massive defection of women from other parties to the PDP.
