… As Governor Umo Eno’s Wife briefs Nigeria’s First Lady
Plans have been concluded by the Wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Patience Umo Eno to kickstart the ‘ARISE Initiative’ for the Elderly, a social welfare scheme introduced by Governor Umo Eno to provide free medical checks and financial support of N50,000, to 500 elderly persons drawn from all the 31 Local Government Areas of the state.
Already, Pastor Patience Eno has visited the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu at the State House Abuja, to update the First Lady on the successful implementation of her Renewed Hope Initiative for the Elderly RHIESS in Akwa Ibom State, as well as inform her of plans to replicate the programme by expanding it to accommodate more elderly persons through a scheme that will hold monthly.
The Governor’s wife, who pegged the ages of beneficiaries at 65 years and above, informed Senator Tinubu that the inaugural edition of the scheme will be held on 31st January, 2024, and that the Local Government Transition Committee Helmsmen and other stakeholders are involved in the selection process to ensure transparency and fairness of the scheme instituted to make the elderly feel the impact of Government.
Responding, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, re-emphasized the need to give more attention to the elderly, whom she noted have paid their dues in life and deserve to be taken care of in their old age, when they are feeble and vulnerable, rather than being bypassed because they are weak and their voices are not loud.
Senator Tinubu who commended the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno for buying into the vision of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme “RHIESS”, also congratulated him over his victory at the Supreme Court, urging him to put politics aside and forge ahead with the demands of governance.
In an interview with State House Correspondents, the Governors wife said the adoption of the RHI Elderly Support Scheme in Akwa Ibom State and selection of beneficiaries is happening across party lines and would carry everyone along, irrespective of party affiliations.
