RismadarVoice Reporters
September 11, 2026
Wife of the Abia State Governor, Priscilla Otti, has distributed ₦20 million in financial support alongside food items to 400 women living with disabilities in Umuahia, the state capital.
The initiative, organised under the banner of the Safe Tent Care Initiative, was presented on Friday during a special outreach designed to extend the traditional August Meeting engagements to women with disabilities.
Speaking at the event, Otti emphasised that the gesture represents a sustained commitment to addressing systemic barriers faced by vulnerable populations across the state.
“The true measure of a society is not how high its strongest can rise, but how faithfully it reaches for those who face the greatest barriers,” Otti said. “My dear brothers and sisters living with disabilities, you matter, you are seen, and you belong to our state.”
Highlighting key obstacles such as unemployment, medical expenses, poor mobility, and social stigma, the governor’s wife noted that the office has maintained continuous engagement with the disability community since 2023.
Previous initiatives included relief outreaches for over 600 individuals in 2024 and targeted enterprise backing for 100 disabled entrepreneurs in 2025. “This is not charity; it is solidarity in action,” she added. “We do not just believe in handouts. We believe in teaching our people to fish.”
To drive sustainable capacity building, Otti announced a strategic partnership with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to train 200 women in vocational skills over three months, with starter packs provided upon completion. A dedicated quota of the training slots has been reserved specifically for women with disabilities.
She also revealed plans to establish the Abia State Community Food Bank, following the recent launch of the South-East regional hub by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
Commenting on the state’s policy direction, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Persons Living With Disabilities, David Anyaele, reaffirmed that the administration remains focused on structured empowerment rather than temporary palliatives.
Also speaking, the State Commissioners,s including Mrs Blessing Ngozi Felix (Poverty Alleviation) and Maureen Aghukwa (Women Affairs), commended the initiative, reiterating the government’s stance against discrimination and social exclusion.
