PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News Across The Region
Related Articles
Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has lauded his wife, Dr. Gloria Diri, for setting up the Gloria Diri Foundation to care for the needy, particularly the elderly in society.
He gave the commendation over the weekend at the ground breaking ceremony for the Gloria Diri Foundation Home for the Elderly at Igbogene in the Yenagoa metropolis.
Speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor noted that oftentimes attention is given to other vulnerable groups in society to the detriment of the elderly with most of them going through very harrowing experiences before their death.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the deputy governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, quoted the governor as saying that care for the elderly attracts divine blessings in line with the scriptures, and therefore prayed God to reward the wife of the governor.
Governor Diri pledged the state government’s support for the foundation and called on the public to throw their weight behind the humanitarian project to enable it succeed.
Commenting on the architectural design of the home, he suggested the inclusion of a chapel to be manned by a chaplain who has a calling for the upkeep of the elderly so as to meet their spiritual needs.
Governor Diri described the foundation as a unique and worthy partner of government that will give the elderly and other less privileged individuals a sense of belonging as well as improve their lot.
His words: “The only commandment that God gave that has a reward is to take care of your parents. I think Her Excellency is already getting a free ticket to heaven by embarking on this project to care for the elderly”.
“I want to commend Her Excellency for choosing this path. I am very happy. And my boss, the governor is also happy with what you have set out to do. This is novel, this is noble and fine because it will also help to drive our agenda of bringing happiness to our people.
“And so, on our part as a government, we will give every necessary support to this foundation to enable it succeed. And I have no doubt whatsoever that you will succeed because this is one of the areas you are trained as a professional.”
Earlier, wife of the governor, Dr. Gloria Diri, appreciated God for giving her the vision of the project as well as making the groundbreaking ceremony a reality.
According to the Bayelsa First Lady, the idea was conceptualized in 1999 and borne out of what she learned from her late mother who would stop at nothing to care for the needy.
Dr. Diri said, drawing from her mother, she developed a passion for caring for the needy, particularly the elderly, and pledged that the Gloria Diri Foundation would continue to carry along vulnerable groups in the society in so far as it can.
She, therefore, appealed to public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to support the foundation, assuring that funds donated will be judiciously used for the completion of the project and care for the needy.
Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of members of the National Assembly, the member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Hon. Fred Agbedi, lauded the First Lady for the programme and pledged to support the foundation.
Also, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, described the project as commendable but advocated the need for the foundation to sensitize the rural dwellers on its activities to enable them benefit from the initiative.
