The Abia state government has placed a 106-year-old Akara seller, Ma Chidinma Eluwa, on a monthly stipend for her upkeep.
On Saturday, August 12, the state government promised to boost the business of the popular centenarian at Owerri road by the Isigate area of Umuahia, Abia state capital.
Mama Eluwa, who lost her husband some years ago, and is left with one son, was recently discovered by Governor Alex Otti’s chief of staff, Caleb Ajagba, on his return from an environmental inspection.
Sources gathered that Caleb decided to write down the widow’s name for consideration after he found a crowd of people patronising her trade along the road.
The aged woman was said to have been invited to the Government House, Umuahia, to receive the good news in August.
Speaking on the government’s promise, the special assistant to Governor Otti on vulnerable groups and poverty alleviation, Mrs Ifeoma Thomas, said:
“We’re going to place her on a monthly stipend and also open a bank account for her.
But first of all, we have gotten the Nigerian Identity Management Agency (NIMC) to capture her and her son in the NIMC register. Afterwards, we open an account in her name, and her brother will be in the custody of the ATM card.
“With that, we will pay her stipend into the account at the end of every month”.
