…To build skills acquisition centre for inmates at mental home
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs Priscilla Otti, has said that his husband came to power to life Abians out of poverty.
Mrs Otti who stated this when she paid a working visit to the mentally deranged persons rehabilitation home at Amudo Itumbauzo in Bende Local Government Area, decried the level of poverty and political subjugation in the state.
She, however, said that her husband came to change the narrative, and urged the people to cue into the wave of the New Abia.
“I thank God for the present administration. We are focused on uplifting Abians who have been under so much oppression for years.
“The Administration of Governor Alex Otti has come to lift the people out of poverty and improve their welfare. Even the mentally ill ones and other less privileged persons are very much important to us,” she said.
Mrs Otti promised to build a skills acquisition centre for the inmates at the home, to make them self reliant upon their discharge.
“We will work hand in hand with this facility which is the major facility here to address their needs and I assure you I have taken note of your request.”
“I can promise that I will support in any way particularly in the area of skills acquisition. It will be my joy to see members of this Community come out and reintegrated with society as able and capable members who can fend for themselves.”
The Governor’s wife commended the founder of Amaudo Integrated Community Mental Health Foundation, Sister Roselind Colwill for her love and passion towards humanity, leading to the establishment of the center which has taken many mentally ill persons off the streets of southern part of Nigeria.
She said that the skills acquisition centre she promised to build would also be to immortalise Sister Colwill for her “rare sacrifice for humanity.”
The Abia First Lady who is the first Governor’s wife to visit the centre since 35 years, pledged full support for the management of the centre to enable it deliver and run with its vision.
“It gives me great joy to have the opportunity to visit this important facility that I have heard so much about and for the wonderful work that is being done here.
“God will continue to bless you and reward your labour of love which will never be in vain. The founder of the place, Sis. Colwill has made us proud and we are happy to celebrate her missionary and selfless efforts.
“This administration will recognise her and ensure that her name is immortalised.”
Mrs Otti who described the work at the center as purely humanitarian, promised that, in no distant time, the poor road network leading to the center, would be fixed.
She donated a large quantity of food items and disposables to the inmates.
Speaking earlier after conducting the Governor’s wife round the center, the Director, the Very Rev. Kenneth Nwaubani, thanked her for coming to empathise with the inmates of the centre.
She said Mrs Otti was the first Abia Governor’s wife to visit the centre, describing it as a ” clear testimony of the spirit of the new Abia being expounded by Gov. Otti.
“Your visit today is a reaffirmation of Dr Otti’s policy that all Abians have a place in his administration.”
Rev Nwaubani said that the center was established in 1989 by Rosalind Colwill, a British Social worker through the Methodist Church Nigeria in response to growing numbers of people with mental health problems roaming the streets.
He noted that so far, the center had “picked, rehabilitated and reunited over 1,200 residents with their families with many of them acquiring agricultural skills.
“This centre was deliberately established in the rural Itumbauzo Community to draw the attention of Government to rural development.”
The cleric said the centre currently “provides mental healthcare for over 10, 000 people in the state.”
He urged Government to come to the rescue of the centre to enable it carry out its mandate.
The Center Director also called for the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the report conducted by Dr Ure Nnenna Lekwauwa, a renowned Abia-born Psychiatrist based in United States of America which urged the Abia State Government to partner the centre as the only credible Institution with mental health care experience in the state.
“In 2014, the Government of Abia State under Governor T.A Orji commissioned a study on the mental health facilities in Abia State which was conducted by Dr Ureh Nnenna Lekwauwa a renowned Abia-born Psychiatrist based in the United States of America.
“Through that report, Amaudo was recommended to the Abia State Government as an Institution that the Government can partner with for mental health rehabilitation. We are ready to offer ideas and skills you may need to address rehabilitation issues in Abia State,” she said.
