by crossriverwatch admin
The wife of the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeoma Akin Ricketts, in company of her husband, Chief Akin Ricketts, and top personnel of the Ministry of Information visited the Destiny’s Child Center, DCC, a home for vulnerable and less privileged children in Calabar to congratulate the leadership of the center and particularly, the initiator, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke on the 4th anniversary of the center.
Dr. Mrs. Ricketts donated items worth thousands of Naira to assist the Center in catering for these vulnerable children. The items include cash, bags of rice, tubers of yams, cakes, cartons of Indomie noodles, cartons of biscuits, detergents as well as disinfectants, toilet rolls, snacks, juice, tooth paste and brushes, among others
Dr. Mrs. Ricketts said she had originally intended to make the presentation during the independence celebration on October 1st, saying however, that it is providential that her visit coincided with DCC’s 4th anniversary.
She commended Mrs. Imoke for initiating Destiny’s Child Center describing it as a noble and laudable project.
While admonishing the children to be of good behavior, Dr. Ifeoma urged public spirited individuals and NGO’s to contribute to the project adding that it is not easy for an individual to maintain such a huge project alone. She prayed God to continue to give Mrs. Imoke the enablement to keep the project alive.
The Commissioner for Information, Chief Akin Ricketts, equally encouraged the DCC children to be focused and reminded them that it is only in doing right that they can become successful in life.
Speaking earlier, the Program Manager DCC, Mr. Williams Arikpo thanked Dr. Ifeoma for her magnanimity and prayed God to reward her and her family.
He said the center was initiated by Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke in October 11, 2009 to better the lives of street children; adding that the center is a resettlement home for the rehabilitation and reintegration of erstwhile street children.
He disclosed that the center has staff strength of 30 dedicated people comprising of Directors, Nurses, Cooks, House masters and mistresses.
The program Manager stated that about 100 DCC housemates are currently in different public schools in the state while some are attending American Surefoot International School. About 20 are in vocational schools learning auto mechanics, wielding, and hairdressing, among other skills while 10 have graduated and gone into mentorship.
He announced that one of the pioneer DCC housemates Henry Oqua who trained in auto mechanic is presently working in a shipping company in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Mr. Williams commended Mrs. Imoke for her tenacity and commitment in giving quality life to the vulnerable and less privileged in the society. He noted that the project is capital intensive and called on the general public to continue to visit and support this laudable humanitarian project.
The occasion witnessed presentation of cash and other gift items, group picture and a facility tour of the center.
Those who accompanied the Commissioner’s wife on the visit were, the Director of Information Mrs. Mary Akpet, Director Technical Services Mr. Emma Akpong , and that of Planning and Statistics Mrs. Nkoyo Ofor as well as the Deputy Director in charge of SACA in the Ministry Mrs. Roselyn Irek.
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