The Federal Government has donated medical palliative to Enugu State Government.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Federal Government on Tuesday in Enugu, Enugu State Commissioner for Special Duties and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mrs Mabel Agbo, said : “Today, SDGs formally presents 12 cartons of face masks, 100 automated hospital beds, 100 bed side lockers, 100 pillows and others to Enugu State Government as palliative from the Federal Government.”
Receiving the items on behalf of Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Obi Ikechukwu, commended the Federal Government and SDGs for the gesture. He assured that the items will be used effectively. “We will ensure that this items are used for the good of the people of the state,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the remains of the pupils and staff of the Presentation Nursery and Primary School, Awgu, Enugu State who lost their lives in a fatal accident on their way back home from school in Awgu Local government Area of Enugu State had been laid to rest.
Ugwuanyi joined Catholic faithfuls, families and sympathisers of the deceased in a requiem mass held at the school premises, in Awgu town.
Ugwuanyi, who described the eight pupils as “angles” bade farewell to them, their late teacher, Emmanuella Chukwugbo and the school bus driver, Chukwu Basil, as well as other victims.
The governor said that his administration was saddened, devastated and overwhelmed with grief by “the eventual realisation that we had lost eight young innocent school children, one teacher and the school bus driver to this tragedy”.
Filled with grief, Ugwuanyi lamented: “Our children; our angels; had gone too soon and too suddenly; for no fault of their own.
“They were too innocent to have offended anyone; too young to have known sin; they only attended the day’s school; to acquire knowledge and high moral values; Yes, they were on their way home; to unite, as usual, with their beloved parents and siblings; a journey home that was never completed; what a tragedy!
“As Christians, we submit to the will of the most High God, who alone, knows why it happened. We accept our faith and find consolation in the conviction that our deceased angels are early arrivals in heaven; already seated in the midst of the heavenly host, praising God and glorifying his name”.
Ugwuanyi said that his administration, on the heels of the tragedy, had visited the recuperating survivors in the hospitals.
He condoled the families of the deceased, extended his solidarity to the Catholic Diocese of Awgu and prayed for divine healing and quick recovery of the injured as well as the fortitude for the families of the deceased to bear the painful losses.
The governor also sympathised with the management of the school, donated a new 18-seater bus to the school and promised to erect a monument at the scene of the accident to immortalise the school children.
He thanked all those who assisted in saving the accident victims and reducing casualty such as “the Bishop of Awgu Catholic Diocese, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Enugu State Command, Ministries of Transport and Health, Enugu State, Awgu Local Government Council Chairman and the attending health care workers in the hospitals, volunteers, men and women of good will”.
He shared a touching true-life story of Horatio Spafford (It is well with my soul) “to console us in this difficult period”.
Earlier in his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Awgu Diocese, Most Rev. John Okoye, consoled the families of the victims and urged them to take solace in the scriptures and “in our Lord Jesus Christ”.
He appreciated Ugwuanyi for his administration’s empathy, support and solidarity since the tragedy.
He added that “the governor did not only call to console us that fateful day; he sent his deputy to us the next day and as soon as he concluded his meeting with other South East leaders, on Friday, the governor physically made his way to the Teaching Hospital to empathise with the survivors and paid their medical bills.
“Your gestures touched us very deeply and we can’t forget them”, the bishop said.
Dignitaries at the event included the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. (Dr) Callistus Onaga, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Prof. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah, the Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most. Rev. John Obodo, the Anglican Bishop of Awgu/Aninri, Rt. Rev. Benson Chukwunweike, the Chief Whip of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Mrs. Jane Eneh.
Others include the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, Sir. Obi Karma, their Culture and Tourism counterpart, Hon. Ugonna Ibe, the Chairman of Awgu local government area, Hon. Pedro Nwankwo, the Enugu State President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Ogbonna, among others.
