Akpabio Donates N10 million To CRARN...Abandoned Children Declare Support For Akpabio�s Second Term (Posted: January 8, 2010)

By Essien Ndueso
S/A to AKS Commissioner for Information
08039529226

Governor Godswill Akpabio has presented a cheque of N10 million Naira N10,000,000 to the child rights and rehabilitation newtwork centre, (CRARN), Eket for the development of the centre with a charge that it be used for the provision of infrastructure and basic amenities at the centre.

The cheque which was presented to the Director of the centre, Mr. Samuel Itauma for the by the Commissioner for Information and Social Re-orientation Mr. Aniekan Umanah said the money was a show of Governor Akpabio�s determination to improve on the well-being of all Akwa Ibom children.

Mr. Umanah re-echoed the determination of the Governor to eradicate all forms of Child stigmatisation in the state, noting that the determination of the governor to eradicate all forms of child stigmatisation in the state accounted for enactment of the Child�s Right and Protection Law.

He warned parents still engaging in such acts to desist from it, as according to him, �that law has been enacted for the protection of the rights of the children of Akwa Ibom State, today the children of Akwa Ibom have a right to free and compulsory education, they are not to be maltreated by anybody, including their parents and guardians and they are supposed to be sent to school under the law. The law prescribes appropriate punishments for all those who refuse to send their wards to school�.

The commissioner who was at the centre in company of the eight-member fact finding team of Akwa Ibom indigenes in the diaspora who where at the centre as part of their fact finding mission in the state, advised Mr. Itauma to utilize the money effectively for the purpose it was meant for.

Also speaking, the leader of the Akwa Ibom in the diaspora fact finding team, a United Kingdom based, Akwa Ibom indigene, Barr. Ata Ikiddeh, lauded Mr. Itauma for his initiative in setting up the centre to cater for the children and urged him to keep proper account on how the funds are utilized in order to attract more support in future.

In his appreciation, the Director of the centre, Mr. Sam Itaumah who was in company of his wife, thanked Governor Akpabio for fulfilling his pledge, and lauded him for always identifying with the centre.

Mr. Itauma also thanked the Governor for the free and compulsory education and the Child Right Law which he said the children of the centre where beneficiaries. He lauded governor government for adopting the children who where thrown out from their homes by the parents saying by the gesture, he has restored hope to them.

Mr. Itauma used the opportunity to inform the governor that the children had mandated a prayer for his continuity in office, beyond 2011.

He promised to utilize the funds for the purposed it was meant for and prayed God to reward the Governor for the benevolence to the centre.

The children in their appreciation sang to the admiration of their guests and prayed God to reward the governor for the gesture. Accompanying the commissioner to the centre, were Barr. Ata Ikiddeh, leader of the Diaspora fact finding team, Dr. Samuel Esema, Mr. Christopher Eyobio, Barr. Itata, Mr. Bassey Antia, Mrs. Eno Anwana, Mr. Emmanuel Umoh and Prof. Ekere Essien.