In a gesture reflecting the spirit of the Christmas season, the Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Kogi State on Electronic Media in the Office of the First Lady, Hon. Janet Samuel, has carried out a Christmas outreach programme to support vulnerable women in Okehi Local Government Area of the state.
The outreach, which took place ahead of the yuletide at Uboro/Omavie/Ohuepe Ward, benefitted more than 100 women drawn from different segments of the community, including widows, the elderly and persons with disabilities. The initiative was aimed at easing the effects of economic hardship and ensuring that beneficiaries celebrate the festive season with dignity.
Both Christian and Muslim women participated in the programme, receiving 5kg bags of rice, food ingredients and cash support. The gesture underscored the inclusive nature of the intervention and promoted unity and compassion among residents of the area.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Janet said the outreach was part of her personal commitment to giving back to society and supporting the people-centred vision of the Renewed Hope agenda being championed in Kogi State by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and his wife, Hajia Sefinat Usman Ododo.
She commended Governor Ododo for what she described as people-friendly policies, highlighting the prompt payment of salaries, infrastructural development and good governance initiatives that continue to positively impact citizens across the state.
Hon. Janet also praised the wife of the Governor for her consistent dedication to the welfare of women and vulnerable groups through empowerment programmes and humanitarian interventions.
According to her, the First Lady has ensured that women at the grassroots are continually reached through her aides, stressing that the wife of the Governor believes “no woman should go hungry or be left behind.”
She assured the beneficiaries of more dividends of democracy, while urging women at the grassroots to continue praying for the success of the present administration and for the re-election of Governor Ododo in 2027.
Also speaking at the event, former APC Chairman of Okehi Local Government Area, Hon. Dauda Momohjimoh, expressed gratitude to the Governor for the ongoing construction of roads linking several villages in the community, describing the development as long overdue.
He further appreciated the wife of the Governor for extending support to women in the ward through Hon. Janet and appealed to the state government to address the community’s need for clean and potable water.
In her opening remarks, the Ward Special Assistant to the Governor, Hon. Hajara Achi, thanked Governor Ododo and the First Lady for their continued support and offered prayers for divine guidance for the administration.
She described the food distribution as timely, noting that it would help cushion the effects of prevailing economic challenges in the area. She also commended Hon. Janet for her representation at the state level and prayed for greater success in her political career.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Asmau Umar, a widow, expressed excitement over the outreach, describing it as unprecedented in the history of the community.
“This is the first time we are receiving rice in this quantity,” she said, while offering prayers for the Governor, the First Lady and the organisers, wishing them success ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Christmas outreach further underscores the importance of grassroots-driven humanitarian initiatives in fostering social cohesion and strengthening the connection between governance and the people of Kogi State.
