By GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, Owerri
No First Lady in the annals of the political history of Imo state has touched the lives of the women especially the widows and the less privileged like the incumbent, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha who has through her pet project “ SHE NEEDS A ROOF” been providing modern and well furnished two bedroom bungalows to indigent widows and the less privileged across the 27 council Areas of the state.
Just last week three widows from Ohaji/ Egbema, Owerri Municipal and Owerri west council areas of the state became the latest beneficiaries of the SNARP project and at the last count the Programme has delivered about two hundred
houses to widows in the last five years of its commencement.
Mrs. Okorocha said that SNARP was conceived after she saw the deplorable living conditions of widows and the orphans during her tour of communities across the 27 local government areas of the state.
“ What I saw in the course of my tour to communities in the state brought me face to face with the sad realities of life without roof and that made me shed tears . It is really saddening that in this our age, some of our sisters still live in such deplorable conditions and are exposed to both sun and rain”. He said.
So, it was in the light of this, that Mrs. Okorocha embarked on the SNARP Programme to provide decent living houses for the most vulnernable and indigent widows and the Orphans in the state.
The First lady does not just stop at building the houses but furnishes them with good curtains, beds, Television sets, Fans, Radio Sets, Refrigerators and cooking utensils and a standby generating sets for the use of the beneficiaries.
Speaking at the recent handing over of such houses to the latest beneficiaries, the Imo state First Lady thanked God Almighty for finding her and her team as worthy vessels to make the widows who have lost hope to smile again, noting that widows and the orphans should be assisted as it is not their making.
Mrs. Okorocha said that the aim of the project is to provide good shelter to as many of the vulnerable orpherns as possible.
Mrs. Roselyn Igwe from Umuagwu Mgbuisi community in Ohaji/ Egbema council area who was speechless at her good fortune said that initially when she informed that she had been chosen to be one of the beneficiaries that she did not believe it.
She added, she did not only built house for me and children but equally gave me money to start a business to help me”.
It was the same story for Mrs. Rosemary Ebere from Owerri Municipal who is from the Okorie kindred, she prayed that First lady and her family would never lack.
However, the first Son received the keys to the house on her behalf as had passed away before the completion of her on house.