6th July, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule on Monday played host to Mrs Ruth Uche and her twins, who were abandoned by her husband, Mr Benjamin Uche.
The visit of Mrs Uche to the Deputy Governor’s office is a follow up to the directive of the governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode who directed that the woman and her children be rehabilitated and assisted by all relevant government agencies to ensure they are in good condition.
At the event which took place at her office in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, the Deputy Governor sympathized over the traumatic experience she had faced in trying to raise the six children following the disappearance of her husband, assuring that the government of Lagos State was ready to come to her aid and ensure the well-being of her children.
“As a woman and a mother, I can only imagine what you have gone through managing six children, it must have been energy sapping and depressing, but I salute your courage and I want to assure you that this government will not abandon you, we will stand by you and ensure that you are assisted to get back to a normal life,” Adebule assured.
She commended the woman for coming forward to seek help rather than abandon the children, which some other people would have done, noting that if she dumped the children by the road side, it would still have been the lot of government to take custody of the children and ensure their well-being but that her presence and determination to raise her children further encouraged the government to offer the necessary assistance.
Adebule added that the governor had approved the release of some money, which would be paid into an account and with part of the money to be used to attend to some of the immediate needs of the children and their mother, adding that officials from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation had been directed to provide the necessary logistics support to her.
The deputy governor, however, advised the run-away husband to come forward and take up the responsibility of caring for his family, admonishing him to be appreciative of the divine blessings that had come his way through the children.
Speaking, Mrs Uche thanked the State Government for assisting and supporting her, noting that the love shown to her and her children could only have come from a government that truly cared about the well being of its people.
Highlight of the visit was the presentation of the token from the government to Mrs Uche by the Deputy Governor.