FIRST LADY Achieve THE PROFILE OF THE LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER EXCELLENCY: MRS MARGARET PETER-OBI, THE FIRST LADY OF ANAMBRA STATE

Mrs. Margaret Peter Obi Wife of the Governor The saying that behind every successful man, there is a woman becomes quite apt in the life of His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, the Governor of Anambra State. the couple it appears is a perfect blend for shepherding the great flock of ‘Ndi Anambra’ at a time like this when the history of the development of the state has become increasingly Herculean. The Governor cannot be any less grateful to God for the wonderful gift of a wife who radiates not only beauty but also humility. Not minding her uncommon cerebral power, she has proved both unassuming and resilient in the face of challenges. Her accessibility to people irrespective of class or calling is accentuated further by her deep conviction that people should be their brother’s keeper. In fact, her kindness stands her out as rare. Mrs. Margaret Peter-Obi is kindly disposed to helping the Anambra people especially the women, children and the less privileged to savour the beauty of democracy and good governance. The touch and reach of her vision has endeared her to many Anambrarians, both men and women. Her inclusive style of leadership has also made her to work in close collaboration with various agencies of the State and Federal Government, the corporate Nigeria and the donor community, to assist the Governor to achieve his vision of ANIDS, which seeks to create equal access for all citizens of the State to opportunities that will guarantee self-reliance and actualization within a safe and sustainable environment. The following examples as chronicled will help to throw more lights on her outstanding achievements:- Working in close collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (MWASD); she initiated the institutionalization of the Anambra State Annual Mothers’ Submit which seeks to accelerate grass root / community development through the participation of women in decision-making and community administration in the spirit of gender mainstreaming and equity. Working closely with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Person (NAPTIP) and the MWASD; she assisted in the rehabilitation, re-settlement and re-integration of female victims of human trafficking. Similarly, she has assisted in the setting up of the graduates of the State-owned Vocational Shill Acquisition Centre to run their own businesses in the spirit of self- reliance. She sponsored the participation of an Anambra Youth living positively in the International Conference of AIDS in Mexico in 2008. She has initiated the periodic distribution of Nutritional Grants to women living positively in their support groups as the chairperson of NAWOCA, Anambra State chapter. In fulfilment of the Right to leisure of the Anambra Children; she has consistently diversified the scope and organization of the Annual Children’s Christmas Party in the State. In pursuit of an end of gender based violence and the promotion of gender equity; she collaborated with the MWASD to organise a road carnival around the major roads in the State capital calling for an end of violence. This was during 2009 International Women’s Day celebration. Earlier in the 2008 edition, she led the Anambra Women in a male-female novelty football match to emphasize gender equity. She has facilitated the distribution of equipment grants including irrigation machines to women cooperatives engaged in dry-season farming; thereby promoting their access to factors of production; enhancing their capacity to support their families and also reduce gender inequality. In pursuit of and in promotion for the Rights of Children to Protection; she has facilitated the establishment of the Family Courts in the state MWASD to deal with issues of child abuse. The court will also deal with issues of the violations of women’s rights especially widows and their right to inheritance. In the area of the Rights of Children to participate, she has assisted the MWASD to inaugurate the 3rd Anambra State Children’s Parliament. She has facilitated the extension of immunization and other essential health care services to the remotest parts of the State in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and the Institute of  Child Health (ICH) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. She has consistently reached out to mothers of multiple births with great assistance in order to  assuage their burdens of child rearing and to celebrate God’s kindness to such families. She has consistently assisted skilled women and girls and physically challenged persons with equipment grants like sewing  machines, assorted confectionaries equipment, hairdressing equipment, shoe-making tools, electric grinding machines with small generators etc. Food processing machines have also been periodically given to women cooperatives to boost their productivity and capacity to support their dependants. This featured in the 2008 Mother’s Summit and very recently in the 2009 International Women’s Day Celebration in the State. The most outstanding landmark accomplishment of this woman with incomparable altruistic disposition and maternal love,  was her tour of 177  communities of the State in 2008; during which she instituted twodemand-responsive and community-specific Intervention Funds viz: Women Economic Empowerment Support Fund and Orphans & Vulnerable Children’s Welfare Sustenance Support Intervention Fund. These Funds in their first phases of implementation, received 10 women and 10 children from each communities. The women were given grants to boost their trades of livelihood while the children were given scholarships. This tour and projects are being expanded this year and the number of beneficiaries doubled in each community. Worthy of note about this initiative is that it is the first of its kind in the State. Never in our history has any Government Official or Agency, Philanthropists or  Organizations, or even the past first ladies undertaken such giant strides with such an incredible reach and feeling---taking succor to the doors of those who desperately need it. This 2nd phase is currently on-going. These are just few of the highlights of the good work of ‘The cream of the Nigeria First Ladies’.