By COLLINS YAKUBU-HAMMER

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has been thrown into mourning following the death of its Director of Special Needs, Mrs Nkechi Onwukwe.

The Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, expressed shock at her sudden demise when she paid a condolence visit to the family in Kado, Abuja, on Sunday.

This is contained in a statement by Farouq’s Media Aide, Mrs. Nneka Anibeze, on Sunday in Abuja.

The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, led the management staff of the ministry to commiserate with the family.

Farouq stated that the untimely and unforeseen death was a rude shock, having held a management meeting with the deceased on Thursday.

“Indeed, we received the sad news with great shock. This is somebody who is our family member and we always pride ourselves in the ministry that we work as a family.

“Madam Nkechi Onwukwe was a strong family member and will remain a family member even in absentia. Her death has touched all of us.

“She was a very nice and amiable person. We enjoyed our working relationship with her and with all the good memories she left behind, we will continue to celebrate her.

“On behalf of all of us in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, we condole with the Onwukwe family and we pray that God will console and provide for the family she left behind,” Farouq said.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, National Social Investment Programme, Dr Umar Bindir, eulogized the late director, describing her as a natural civil servant who went about her work diligently.

“She was a professional who worked so hard and diligently without crossing anybody’s path. I hope you, the children of the late Onwukwe, will imbibe the character of your mother. She will be sorely missed.”

Onwukwe died on Friday, Jan. 27.

She started her career at the Ministry of Women Affairs in 1992 before joining the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in 2019.

She is survived by three children and was aged 56 years. (NAN)

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