A good Samaritan, Mr. David Ukam and his wife have received support from the Cross River State government for their humanitarian work of parenting four-month-old triplets that lost their mother while giving birth to them.

The good spirited family disclosed this to the executive of Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Cross River Chapter, when the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Edema Irom led some women on a humanitarian visit to mark four months birthday of the triplets, named; Peace Ogbor, Princes Ogbor and Precious Ogbor

According to Ukam, their mother died during delivery and their father who he said is his junior friend lives in the village in Biase local council of the state.

Narrating the sad incident, he said: “Four months ago, precisely July 7, my young friend called me to say his wife delivered a set of triplets but she died immediately after the delivery. I didn’t know how to respond, I was shocked and confused. The next day he told me that he was in the village with the children and that they came to bury the wife, tears roll down my eyes because I knew the young woman, they were very young couple, so I discussed with my wife, she agreed and I asked him to bring the children down to Calabar, he did and since then, they have been living with us, my wife is taking care of them.

“Since their arrival, God has been using people to bless us and the government through the Governor’s wife, Mrs. Eyoanwan Otu, she heard about it and sent someone to see us, in fact, one of those days, it was difficult to feed the children,  just like what God is using the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare to do, that day I just drove to her office, I told her I have three babies that are almost abandoned, their father is just a village teacher, she said she wants to see those babies and since then, she has been calling to know about their wellbeing.

“My wife called me and said, baby milk has finished, and three of them finished this milk in a day and now, God has used the ministry, we have four cans. That is how some individuals will just come in here and drop tins of milk, pampers, toiletries. God has really been faithful.” He said.

While presentation the items worth hundreds of thousands of naira, cash donations and a cake to celebrate their four months birthday, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Irom said the gesture was one of the ministry’s humanitarian programmes entitled, “Bounty for Families of Multiple Births” and in line with the pet project of the state Governor’s wife, ‘The Girl Child’.

Commending Ukam and his wife for the humanitarian gesture, she called on well-meaning Nigerians to support the family in raising the children as she reiterated the state government’s commitment in ensuring that the children receive adequate care.

“We call on Nigerians to come down to the Ministry of Women Affairs to assist with what you have. We just came to show commitment, this is a project, we are going to be raising these daughters together, from their welfare, from their wellbeing, in fact, and everything that will have to do with these girls, holistically, so we are appealing to well-meaning Nigerians be you a philanthropists, women and organizations to come to the ministry. This gesture is part of the celebration of the Girl Child.” She appealed.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Mary-Theresa Ebe, commended the good spirited family for their humanitarian support to raise the children.