Ebonyi Govt to Present 26 Widows with Three-Bedroom Bungalows
Twenty-six widows in Ebonyi State are set to receive newly built three-bedroom bungalows from the state government under its Widows’ Housing Project.
The initiative is being implemented through Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons (BERWO), the pet project of the governor’s wife, Mrs Uzoamaka Nwifuru.
According to the government, two widows from each of the 13 local government areas will benefit from the scheme.
Among the first recipients were Mrs Josephine Ekoyo of Ndiegu Azu Echara in Ikwo Local Government Area and Mrs Cecilia Ogbuinya of Amagu Onicha Village in Abakaliki LGA, who expressed profound gratitude for the gesture.
Ekoyo, who received the keys to her new home, told journalists she had lived in a makeshift shelter for years after her old house collapsed.
“For years, friends and family helped me patch up a fallen house, until today,” she said, thanking Mrs Nwifuru and the state government for their concern for the vulnerable.
Ogbuinya, who previously lived in a ramshackle hut and had lost six of her children, said the new home had given her hope and a sense of belonging. She applauded the governor’s wife for “rebuilding the lives of widows in Ebonyi.”
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Mrs Nwifuru described the housing project as “a dream come true” and a clear fulfilment of BERWO’s mission to restore dignity to widows.
“This is in line with our objective to uplift the lives of widows in society. I am delighted to see it achieved,” she said.
The Commissioner for Housing, Mr Francis Ori, explained that the programme delivers one three-bedroom bungalow to two widows per local government area, targeting the most vulnerable residents. He praised Mrs Nwifuru for her people-oriented initiatives.
The Chairman of Ikwo LGA, Mr Sunday Nwankwo, and the Commissioner for Education, Mr Donatus Ilang, described the intervention as a strong commitment to improving the living standards of underprivileged citizens.
The inauguration took place in Ishielu and Ohaukwu local government areas, with similar ceremonies planned across the remaining councils.
Source: NAN
