The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, has marked his 62nd birthday by offering scholarships, automatic employment, housing, and other forms of support to children and caregivers in orphanages and charity homes across the state.
The governor announced the gesture on Friday during a celebration at Divine Children’s Home in Atan Offot, Uyo, where he chose to commemorate his birthday with the less privileged.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ekerete Udoh, the initiative was aimed at inspiring hope and reinforcing the belief that background should not limit individual potential.
“We are here to encourage them and to give them hope. They will know that they are not rejected; we are with them,” the governor said.
Eno noted that he has consistently dedicated his birthdays to acts of compassion, highlighting achievements such as the construction of over 400 homes for vulnerable residents and the promotion of peace and unity across the state.
As part of the intervention, he directed that 22 volunteer caregivers be granted automatic employment in the civil service, while 15 others who had completed vocational training would undergo further development at the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre and the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centre before receiving starter packs and shops.
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He also approved an overseas postgraduate scholarship for one of the inmates, Abigail Okon Edet, and ordered that two graduates currently employed in the state civil service be provided with houses.
Additionally, the governor directed the provision of suitable accommodation for beneficiaries transitioning out of orphanage care to enable them to live independently.
Eno cautioned against the unchecked proliferation of orphanages, stressing the need for strict adherence to regulatory standards, and called on residents to continue supporting vulnerable groups.
“No child is born by accident; every child has a purpose,” he said, urging the children to remain hopeful about their future.
In her remarks, the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Helen Eno Obareki, described the governor as a compassionate leader whose policies have significantly improved the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.