The wife of Rivers State Governor, Justice Suzette Nyesom-Wike has stated that investing in  the  lives of the poor, less-privileged children and the physically challenged would engender greater development as more people would  be equipped  to  contribute  to  societal  growth.
She spoke in Port Harcourt during her visits to ‘The Child’ Special School, Home for the Elderly and the Port Harcourt  Children Home, as part of activities  to  commemorate  the 2016 International Women’s Day Celebration.
Mrs Wike noted that providing quality education to children with special  needs will equip them with the right skills to live productive lives.
At the home for the elderly, Justice Nyesom-Wike stated that there should be constant respect and compassion  for those who have dutifully served the society so that they can live the rest of their lives gracefully.
Responding  at The Child Special School, Reverend Sister Sylvia Anyanwu, said that the school was a project of the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt aimed at educating children with intellectual disabilities, especially those living with  down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy,  autism and other crippling  disabilities.
At the Home of the Elderly, Reverend Sister Mary-Jane Raphael Agubosi, said the home improves lives of the elderly who are facing significant physical, psychological and dementia challenges.
At the Port Harcourt Children’s Home, the sister in-charge, Mrs Barile Nwankor, said that the home needed expansion as the abandoned children are grown up, and have nowhere to go.
Barile further said that the home needed a bus as the old one was no longer functional.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Ukel Oyaghiri, said that the visit to charity homes was part of her ministry’s idea to identify with the less-privileged children and the elderly as they could play major roles in their little ways.
Oyaghiri emphasized that in line with the theme of this year’s celebration: “Planet 50-50 for 2030, Step It Up For Gender Equality,” the ministry planned to go beyond the 35 per cent affirmative action, and was now seeking for 50-50, adding that the “Pledge for Parity,” in gender balancing, equal treatment to women and the girl-child was a target that must be achieved.
The inmates of the homes also rendered songs to the delight of the wife of the governor and her entourage.
The governor’s wife was accompanied to the homes by wives of political appointees, female political appointees and elected officials in the state.
Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom  Wike has reassured women in the state of his administration’s commitment to the advancement  of  their rights for the development  of  the  state.
Speaking  during  2016 International Women’s Day celebration in Port Harcourt yesterday,  Wike  said that his administration has appointed  women into key positions  and given them strategic  responsibilities  as recognitions  for their roles in the development  process.
”As a government, we will continue to do our very best to enhance and protect the advancement of women in the state, it is not just appointing women into key positions, it is about empowering them to do what they are suppose to do in order to move our society forward”, Wike stressed.
Wike, who was  represented by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Kenneth Kobani, explained that the state government is driven by women, who  cut across the three arms of government.
He challenged women in the state to rise up and speak for their rights, adding that deprived and poor women should be assisted through empowerment  programmes.
In a keynote address, the Wife of the Governor, Justice Eberechi Suzette Nyesom Wike while expressing her extreme delight of the unprecedented gathering of Rivers Women at the International Women’s Day Celebration in the State, said women are the super-structure, the strong pillar for growth and the development of the human race.
Similarly, the Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has felicitated with Rivers women on the commemoration of 2016 International Women’s Day celebration in the state..
The deputy governor urged Rivers women, as role models to justify the public offices or positions entrusted to them as co-drivers’ in the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration.
She, however, challenged women to be more vocal on issues of violence against them, obnoxious traditional practices and all forms of discrimination perpetrated against women in the society.