Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has directed the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Rebecca Ogbuewu, and all the Special Assistants (SAs) working under the ministry to jointly fetch Mrs Lucy Opkuru Mgboke, the displaced mother of triplets in Abakaliki.

Mrs Opkuru Mgboke is a native of Agbaja Unuhu community in Izzi Local Government Area of the state, who was among the villagers displaced when Ebonyi State Government under the former administration of Martin Elechi took over the ownership of the land housing their homes; a vast land now known as Centenary city.

The Governor gave the directive following media reports about the condition of Mrs Okpuru Mgboke, who gave birth to triplets on July 29, 2019, at a health centre in Azuiyiokwu Abakaliki, and was said to be seeking for financial assistance in order to be discharged from the hospital.

A press statement by the Special Assistant (SA) to the Governor on Social Media, Emmanuel Igwe, quoted Governor Umahi as directing that after fetching the woman, they should hire a house for her as well as send her and the triplets to the hospital for proper medical examination and care.

The Governor further promised to offset the medical bills plus two years upkeep allowance of Mrs Mgboke and her children.

According to Umahi, “I apologise to the woman on behalf of Government even though it was not under my administration but governance is a continuous entity.”

The Governor was copiously quoted in the statement thus: “I direct commissioner for women affairs and all the SAs on women to jointly look for the woman, hire a house for her, send them to hospital to evaluate the children and mother, give me all bills plus two years upkeep allowance to the mother and children.

“I apologise to the woman on behalf of Govt even though it was not under my administration but governance is a continuous entity.”

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