By Edwin Philip
The Head of Civil Service Nasarawa State, Barrister Abigail Waya has called for public support love to the vulnerable in the society by those with the means to enable them celebrate Christmas and have a sense of belonging.
Barrister Waya made this known while speaking at the Christmas Kitchen event organized by a non governmental organization, Community Links, held at the auditorium of the Head of Service’s building in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
” I encourage everyone wether you are buoyant or not, just as I told the women inside from this rice they have given to them, even if it is a cup or two that you give to a family you would have saved a family from sleeping or staying hungry. So, I encourage everyone one of us not minding if we are rich or not from the little we have let’s have the heart of caring and bearing one another’s burden in this season and even beyond the season.
The head of service who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary Establishment and Manpower, Mrs Belinda Oyigbeno commend the effort of Community Links for their gestures, noting that the current economic situation in the country has made every little gift given worth appreciating.
“From the faces of the women in there you know that they really appreciate the gift that the Community Links has given them for the Christmas celebration” he said.
Speaking on the welfare package for staff, she disclosed that the head of service has been providing for staff in her office, describing her as a pacesetter in the provision of material and non material items including making the working environment such as conducive.
“In this office, years back people use to run away when you post them to the office of the head of service but this time under the leadership of Abigail Waya people lobby to be posted to the office of the Head of Service because the welfare of the staff is well taken care of.
“You can even take your time and ask the staff randomly and you will believe that what I told you is confirmed. I wish you will be here to see what we will do for the end of year. It is a family, we wine and dine, she gives us presents that every staff goes home with.
Even people in the federal service knows her as madam equity, whatever the governor gives as welfare package we share it equally , from her office to the least of the workers, if we are going to share a cup of rice even the labourers have equal share” the PermanentSecretaryexplained.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the Community Links, Dr Helen Teghtegh , said the Christmas kitchen event began since 2020, as a way of puting smiles on the faces of the displaced, disabled, aged, lactating mothers, pregnant women and widows , with fifty women cutting across four local government areas of Lafia, Doma Obi and Keana benefit this year.
“Today we have had our Christmas kitchen for 2024, where we had about fifty women cutting across different LGA made of Lafia, Doma, Obi and Keana LGA, we have women who are aged raging from the ages of 40 to seventy even eighty, widows women who are disabled, those who are lactating and pregnant women as well, who benefited from the rice and condiments we have for them.
This is to cushion the effects of the hardship been faced these days , you know the economic reality is very harsh.”
Dr. Teghtegh who spoke through Dr. Fred Yorshargher, called on other spirited individuals and organisations to come to the aide of women expecially the vulnerable and the aged to ensure that hope is restored to them.
In their responses and appreciations, Saadatu Tijani, Hanatu Yohanna, Rebecca Dogara among others, said the rice and the cooking condiments is the game changer for this year’s Christmas, praying that more open doors of opportunities will come the way of the Executive Director of Community Links.