Posted by By FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
When Dr. Goodluck Jonathan emerged as the country's vice president, most Bayelsa women, who have been touched by Aruera Foundation, an imitative by his wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, thought all hope was lost. They had feared that with the former governor and his wife moving over to Abuja, the project would die.
• As Mrs Sylva unfolds empowerment programme
When Dr. Goodluck Jonathan emerged as the country's vice president, most Bayelsa women, who have been touched by Aruera Foundation, an imitative by his wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, thought all hope was lost. They had feared that with the former governor and his wife moving over to Abuja, the project would die.
Today, they have cause to smile as the wife of the new governor, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva, has unfolded a bumper package for the women of the state.
Demonstrating an uncanny love for the women of the state, Mrs. Sylva, during a luncheon, disclosed that the action agenda cut across health, education and skill development of women and girls. It also covers health care awareness in rural areas for women and children and periodic cervical and breast cancer screening.
Mrs. Sylva promised that the government would tackle the needs of women and children.
"The past days have been a time of learning and I have accessed the developmental needs of the women and children and all their problems would be tabled before the governor and integrated into government policies and programmes," she said.
To underscore the importance she attaches to the needs of women in her action agenda, Mrs. Sylva has, in partnership with the state's Ministry of Health and corporate organizations, established a special clinic for women in the state.
According to her, the women owe it to their children and future generations to adopt a new set of values and attitudes that will promote sustainable healthy conditions.
She said she was convinced that apart from the breast and cervical cancer programme and other health projects in the state, further efforts are needed to enable women and children regain balanced health through access to opportunities and health facilities.
The governor's wife urged women regarded as role models in the state to visit communities to enlighten people on the dangers of teenage pregnancy and dropping out of school by girls.
Mrs. Sylva encouraged the women to pay regular visits to their communities and interact with the community leaders to enable them fashion ways of tackling problems facing women in the villages.
Mrs. Apretari Ogugu, who spoke on behalf of the women, expressed happiness at Mrs. Sylva's programme, noting that it would touch the lives of Bayelsa women.
She pleaded with women to seek early medical attention and not wait till it is too late.