Ebonyi plans elders’ welfare club

IN a bid to cater for the welfare of persons of age 80 and above, the Ebonyi State Government is set to establish elders’ welfare club to take care of senior citizens in state.

Governor Umahi disclosed this in Abakaliki recently, while presenting staff of office and certificates of recognition to five new traditional rulers earlier crowned by their various communities.

“We have come to realise that there is need to set up club of the 80s in the state. We have to take care of the needs of the aged, such as paying their medical bills,” he said.

The governor charged the five traditional rulers to maintain peace in their various autonomous communities and promised to commence the construction of the palace of the state chairman of traditional rulers council by April this year.

While assuring that his administration would continue to look into the welfare of all the traditional rulers, the Governor said, “the palace of the chairman, we must start construction there latest by April under direct labour. We are very much in a hurry to have that palace,” Umahi stated.

The five new traditional rulers include Chief Laz Umahi Nweze, an oil company senior staff with five master degrees. He was crowned last week as the Eze Adu of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Others are Chief Livinus Okorie Ugbo (Oso- Edda community), Chief John Okpuru (Amaoffia), Chief Edward Chukwu(Oziza) and Chief Ibe Obani (Umuihe).

Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters Barr. Samuel Okoronkwo, had explained that the newly crowned traditional rulers met all the requirements as stipulated in the constitution before their installations by their various communities.

In his acceptance speech on behalf of himself and the other rulers, HRM Okpuru promised that they will use their staffs of office to maintain peace and propagate the policies and programmes of the state government in their domains.