by Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Wife to the Benue State Governor, and founder Eunice Spring of Life Foundation Dr. Eunice Ortom, has charged beneficiaries of the first batch of over 150 wheelchairs donated to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs),by her foundation to make good use of them and not to sell them as the wheelchairs were meant to support them carry out their daily activities.
Mrs. Ortom, who gave the charge during the week at a ceremony to present the wheelchairs to beneficiaries drawn across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, held at the Chapel of Grace, Government House Makurdi, also encouraged the PWDs to see themselves as special people created by God in order to fulfill the biblical injunction that what God has created is beautiful.
The first lady further told the gathering that the presentation of the wheelchairs was a deliberate policy of her foundation the ESLF to impact positively on everyone, particularly the physically challenged including women and youths, through partnerships with Government, NGOs, both within and outside the country, assuring that the foundation will continue to contribute it’s quota by creating and promoting a society without barriers to descent living including people living with disabilities.
Mrs. Ortom expressed appreciation to the governor for always supporting programs of the foundation and the founder of beautiful gate handicap center Jos, Plateau state, chief Ayuba Gofwuan, for impacting lives of people with disabilities positively across the country.
She also commended the ESLF ambassadors Mr. Tahav Agerzua, Chief Cliff Atile, and Chief George Ali, Otukpo Local Government Chairman, for variously standing with the foundation over the years and for introducing the founder of the beautiful gate handicap center producers of the wheelchairs to her for the partnership.
In a remark, founder of the beautiful gate handicap center Jos, chief Ayuba Gofwuan, said his desire to establish the center was to help people with disabilities to become mobile enough to develop themselves both in businesses, education and other forms of skills acquisition in order to contribute to Nation building, and thanked the governor’s wife for facilitating the objective in Benue while Chief Atile, encouraged the PWDs, to show commitment in whatever activities they would involve in, expressing happiness that Benue PWDs were not beggers.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Marry Ekele, expressed appreciation to God and the first family for always reserving a special space in their hearts for persons with disabilities.
They also pray God to bless the first family as well as grant them their heart desires.