Essential Ndubuisi
The wife of the Governor of Abia State Dr Nkechi Ikpeazu has described the 7th House of Assembly led by Engineer Chinedu Orji as partner in progress who are dedicated to developing the state and making lives better for the populace.
Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu stated this when she led some members of civil society organizations on an advocacy visit to the Abia State House of Assembly in Umuahia to engage with the state legislators over ongoing legislative work on several bills that have humanitarian and affects the vulnerable people.
The Bills are the Child Right Law of Abia State, the Obnoxious Widowhood Practices Bill and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Bill 2018. Of the three items, two bills are fresh bills yet to be passed by the house while the Child rights Law was passed in 2006 and is due for a review to keep it up to date with recent realities and challenges of protecting the Nigerian child in the face new developments in society.
Addressing the lawmakers, Mrs. Ikpeazu who was given the rare privileged of addressing the state House of assembly during plenary, pointed out that Abia legislators respond quickly to the needs of citizen quickly by making laws that engender positive societal changes.
She recalled that due to her bidding in 2018, the house had passed the Abia State Blood Group and Genotype Law and has also thereafter passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law.
Mrs. Ikpeazu reported to the lawmakers that the ongoing implementation of the Blood Group and Genotype Law is expected to yield a zero prevalence of sickle cell disease in Abia State within the next two decades, while the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law also passed by the House two years ago has attracted the attention of UK government with Abia rated amongst the top three states in Nigeria that are implementing the law.
The First lady who thanked the House for making the life-changing laws, also called on the Abia Lawmakers to rise to the occasion once more by passing the Disability Bill, the Widowhood Practices Bill and amending the Child Right Law which she said will create lasting legacies for the 7th Assembly led by Engineer Chinedum Orji.
Responding during the plenary the House Speaker Engineer Chinedum Orji said the House granted Mrs Nkechi Ikpeazu the rarest privilege of addressing the House in Plenary because she had done so much for the indigent and the vulnerable in the state and had earned the respect and love of the House.
He said it is public knowledge that the First Lady had built dozens of houses for indigent persons and had championed women empowerment, gender rights and protection of vulnerable people.
The speaker assured the First lady that the three laws will be passed by the House in the next few weeks as the legislature’s duty and collaborative effort in giving the vulnerable widows, children and people with disabilities a new lease on life.
Engineer Chinedu Orji recalled previous efforts made by Mrs. Ikpeazu which propelled the House to pass the VAPP Law and the Blood Group and Genotype Law adding that with the anticipated passage of the three recent bills, Mrs Ikpeazu would have written her legacy in Gold and will go into the history books the First lady who pushed the passage of five critical bills that make life better for Abians.
Also speaking during plenary, the Majority leader Solomon Akpulonu, the Deputy Minority leader Onyekwere Ukoha, the Chairman of House Committee on Women Affairs and Health, Mr Stanley Nwabuisi and the Honourable Emeka Okoroafor all eulogized the visit of the wife of the Governor and offered several platforms which they assured will help realize the vision of the First lady in helping the less privileged and vulnerable.
The First lady was accompanied by the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Lady Ude oko Chukwu, the wife of the Speaker Dr Onyinyechi Orji represented By Barrister Uzosike, Permanent secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, members of the Child protection Network, national Council of Women Societies, International Federation of Women Lawyers, members of the State Widows Association, members of the Association of People living with Disabilities, school children, several women stakeholders as well as the wife of the Chairman of State Council of Traditional Rulers, Ugoeze Cecilia Nwabeke.
