In the spirit of Easter, Governor Udom Emmanuel, of Akwa Ibom State, has launched N100 million empowerment scheme to assist the needy in his home church in Lagos.

Gov. Emmanuel, while thanking God for sparing his life and those of several other people during the building collapse of Reigners Bible Ministry in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, last year, said the seed fund would go a long way in alleviating poverty among his target audience.

Speaking during a special church service to mark #PalmSunday at United Evangelical Church(founded as Qua Iboe Church) in Surulere, the Governor who arrived the church with few members of his Executive Council, his friends and associates, said the welfare of members of the church was the reason why he decided to worship with them.

Recounting the sad incident, which took place on December 10, 2016, in Uyo, capital city of Akwa Ibom State, Gov. Emmanuel said “I thank God for your prayers, which saw me through the December 10 incident. What people said about the event in the social media was totally unfounded. The truth of the matter is that we were singing the song that we have just finished singing, “You are great,” when the accident occurred. What I can recall is that I was standing there singing, then all of a sudden, I found myself meters away. The iron pulled out from the roof and got suspended halfway and I was saved. I don’t know how I got to where I was, but I was lying on the floor.”

Gov. Emmanuel who personally supervised rescue operations and the evacuation of the injured to the hospital, said “I sincerely commiserate with all the families that lost their loved ones, adding “I felt it would be good for me to come here today to thank you for prayers.”

The Governor also seized the opportunity to brief members of his home church about some of his economic programmes in Akwa Ibom state. “Back home, we are trying to do everything right…And you know whenever there is the grace to do something right, there will be temptation too. We have done a lot so far. We are believing that if we don’t build the economy of the state, democracy would not stand. That’s why we are trying to set up the economy on the right path despite recession,” he said.

Revisiting the reason behind his visit, he said “I want to do something briefly today; and that is, raise money for the church to empower members so that they can be self-reliant. As my home church, I won’t feel good if everybody is not feeling good. My thinking is if we start with say N50 million today by next year it could become N100 million.”

While announcing the N100 million welfare scheme, he called on the leadership of the church to use the fund judiciously to enable beneficiaries to become self-reliant, considering the current economic recession in the country.

Delivering his sermon on the theme, “The Lord Jesus is in control”, which was taken from the book of Mark 11, Rev. Samuel Ebukiba, Superintendency Pastor, Surulere Superintendency, Lagos, urged the congregation not to lose hope, but believe that nothing is impossible with God.

Rev. Ebukiba thanked Gov. Emmanuel for his kind gesture as well as his remarkable achievements in Akwa Ibom state in the nearly two years of his administration.