Ministers Mourn Staff

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr Emeka Wogu, has commiserated with Nigerians who lost their loved ones in the Dana Air crash on Sunday, describing their death as “untimely and painful.’’

Wogu said this in Abuja on Monday during a condolence visit to Mr Paul Okwulehie, the Director, Inspectorate Department in the ministry, who lost his wife in the crash.

The minister assured the director and other families who lost their loved ones in the ill-fated aircraft that staff of the ministry would join them in prayers “at this moment of grief.

“I want to sympathise with the Okwulehie family and other Nigerians who lost their loved ones in the Dana plane crash and to say that their death was shocking and a big loss to Nigeria.

“Mrs Okwulehie’s death is shocking and a big loss to the family, especially at a time when she would have loved to share in the joy of the birth of her grandchild but God knows the best.

“Her sterling qualities will remain ever green in the minds of those who had direct dealings with the family.”

Wogu prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and asked God to grant the families the fortitude to bear the loss.

The daughter of the deceased, Miss Uzoma Okwulehie, who responded on behalf of the family, expressed appreciation to the minister and the entire management staff for sharing in their grief.

The late Maria Okwulehie until her death was the Principal of Federal Government Girls College, Bwari, Abuja.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, also on Monday condoled with the management of the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the death of some members of its staff in Sunday’s Dana plane crash.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the Commission’s Headquarters on Monday, Rufa’I said the deaths were a great loss to the education sector.

“It is indeed a great loss to the NUC, Ministry of Education and to Nigeria as a whole that they lost their lives in the unfortunate air crash.

“We pray that their families will be able to bear the losses. We will do the best we can to support and encourage them, and we pray for Nigeria that this tragedy never happens again,’’ she said.

Rufa’I also condoled with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Violet Onwuliri, on the death of her husband, Prof. Celestine Onwuliri.

She described Onwuliri as a dedicated Visiting Professor of the NUC, who until his death was Chairman, Standing Committee on Private Universities (SCOPU).