The Enugu women on Monday held a special thanksgiving service in celebration of Governor Peter Mbah’s tribunal victory.

The Enugu governorship election petitions tribunal, on September 21, upheld Mr Mbah’s victory as the elected governor of Enugu in the March 18 poll.

The thanksgiving service, which began with the Holy Mass by Anthony Udeh, the Government House chaplain, had women from 17 LGAs and women support groups in attendance.

The Enugu State Prayer Network coordinator, Favour Ugwuanyi, said Enugu women gathered at Okpara Square, where they held their monthly prayer to thank God for the victory he gave to Mr Mbah.

According to her, women in Enugu meet at the venue every 9th of every month to pray for the Enugu government, Enugu, families and Nigeria at large.

“Women from all the offices, parastatals, 17 LGAs, political parties and 11 ministers of God, women support groups gathered here to celebrate what God did for Mbah and Enugu State at the tribunal,” she said.

Ms Ugwuanyi also called on those in opposition to support Mr Mbah, stressing that Enugu “belongs to all of us, and they should join hands together with the present government to make Enugu great.”

“People who say Mbah is not doing any project should have patience with him because it is too early to judge, adding that six months is not enough to lay foundations,” stated Ms Ugwuanyi. “They are in a hurry, and Mbah is going to make it. He has to set machinery on the ground, study the environment, problems and challenges, harvest decisions of people with his own to come up with solutions.”

Ngozi Enih, the Commissioner for Children and Gender Affairs and Social Development, lauded the women for attending the thanksgiving as “we are their zeal in holding monthly prayers for the state.”

While urging women to continue their prayers for Enugu State, Enih said their prayers would enable Mr Mbah to achieve his plan for the Enugu people. She also lauded Mbah for paying N450 million counterpart fund to the World Bank for women in Enugu, which she said would not be a loan but a grant to them.

According to her, the gesture aligns with Mbah’s promise to end poverty in Enugu during his tenure in office.

Ms Enih said, “Among all the 36 states in Nigeria, Enugu state was the first state that paid N450 million counterpart fund for women, and so far only Enugu and Ondo states have paid the money. To access the money, all you need to do is to register yourselves at poverty eradication and human development and then collect your certificate at our ministry and open an account.”

(NAN)