As many as 50 widows in Aka Efa community in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State got food palliatives to mark nine years of HRM Henrietta Efa Akpera as the village head of Aka Efa reign.
To mark the event, the widows also got free medical check ups and motivational talks on homestead agriculture.
The event was held in the Aka Efa community hall.
The female traditional ruler said the high cost of living spurred her to embark on the exercise.
“I had promised that if God allowed me to reign up to nine years, I would specially celebrate with widows.
“This celebration is to thank God for allowing me survive on the stool for these nine years. It is remarkable. The celebration is to enable me give back to the widows and my community even as the high costs of living affects Nigerians. ”
Commissioner for women’s affairs, Mrs Edema Irom and lawmaker representing the Calabar Municipality, Stanley Nsemo expressed the government’s happiness for her efforts.
Nsemo called for expansion of the widow empowerment programme, while the commissioner hailed the community for being gender friendly and tolerating HRM Akpera.
Reeling out impacts of her 9 years achievements, Otuekong Edet Effiom said her reign has witnessed arrays of projects.
She disclosed that she is the only female village head amongst seven since 1970.
The Divisional Police Officer of Aka Efa, Eno Ukpong said her reign has witnessed reduction in crimes because she regularly convened security meetings.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries, the coordinator of widows in the community, Mrs Nene Linus said they have enjoyed the regular support from her leadership and mentioned that they need a market more.
“We particularly appealed for the establishment of a local market for the women as distance to other markets was too far”, she appealed.
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