Pastor Umo Eno gives succour to physically challenged students
…Commends Governor Udom over Empowerment Philosophy
Moved by his passion to alleviate pains and sufferings of the less privileged, the Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno yesterday December 9, 2021 donated and presented different aiding facilities for the physically challenged students of the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Making the presentations at the Onyema Ugochukwu Hall of the Town Campus, Pastor Umo Eno said the exercise was in compliment of the empowerment drive of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The Commissioner noted that the Governor was passionate about lifting people from where they are to where they are supposed to be, adding that the Governor holds a unique and commendable philosophy of empowerment which bothers on life’s transformation without trumpets.
He emphasized on the nature of true empowerment saying, “I love to invest in people because if you teach them how to fish, they would fish for themselves and not giving them fish which would make them come back to you for more. The idea of empowerment is to make the empowered person free and independent and not to keep them coming back and dependent on you,” he said.
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Pastor Umo Eno who was broken by emotions at the sight of the plight of the physically challenged students striving for better life, admonished them to look beyond their disabilities in order to excel in their chosen areas of study and other endeavours.
He said physical disabilities was less a disability when compared with spiritual disability, adding, “none of us should be spiritually disabled. Once you have the right spirit, you can achieve anything you desire.”
The Commissioner who had earlier spotted and recognized a student among the physically challenged said, “this afternoon I met a young man who is physically impaired by sight. I have known him many years ago, he used to sing for us in Royalty but we lost contact. I am so glad to find him in school and in the department of political science. So once your spirit and passion are right, you would always find a way.”
He said it was heartwarming to identify with the physically challenged students, and recalled that when he was invited with details of the event by the Students Union President, Comrade Wisdom Emmanuel Offong, he embraced the idea and accepted to partner with the union’s president to ensure proper excecution.
The event, according to him, was simply to help the physically challenged students to have some level of comfort, adding that his support for the exercise was made possible by Governor Udom Emmanuel who has first empowered him, and had appointed him into his cabinet, stressing that whatever he does was an extension of the Governor’s humane disposition to the welfare of Akwa Ibom people.
“The young man I met here, my long time friend says he needs a computer and a recorder to be able to learn well. He told me it is N250, 000 , I am going to leave the money here now so that the SUG President will help get it for you.”
“I will also pay this semester’s school fees for those with good GPAs, just to take some weight off you and your parents. The SUG president and NASDU president will work out the modalities to know those who will benefit from the exercise. Because you have decided and have the courage to learn, we have to encourage and assist you.
“The best thing you can have for yourself is education, and please don’t joke with it. I am very thankful to the SUG president for this initiative to reach out to our brothers and sisters who are physically challenged,” he said.
In their separate remarks, the SUG president, President of the National Association of Students with Disabilities, University of Uyo, (NASDU), Comrade Ubong Ikpe, and the the beneficiary of the computer and recording device, Joe Struggle appreciated the Commissioner for the rare show of love and compassion and prayed for God’s continous blessings on the Commissioner and family.
Some of the facilities donated included but not limited to wheel chairs, crutches, and briale machines, as well as cash sums for school fees, computer, and recorder for a 200 level student of Political Science Education Department – Mr. Joe Struggle.
