— CAN Chair, others bag humanitarian awards
By Amuche Agbo, Abakaliki
The Founder of Regina Pacis Foundation and the Chairman of EDON Group of Companies, Architect Edward Nkwegu has held the 17th anniversary of the foundation and vowed to continue helping the poor and less privilege ones in the society towards ameliorating their sufferings.
The anniversary which held at OKpoduma Agbaja Community in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State featured Holy Mass Service by the Catholic Bishop of Abakaliki Diocese, His Lordship Bishop Peter Nworie Chukwu, and even as South East CAN Chairman, Very Reverend Father Abraham Nwali, Former Senator Of Ebonyi North Zone, Senator Christ Nwankwo bagged an award of excellence in humanitarian services while Reverend Father Peter Amano of the Catholic Parish, Nweke Nduegu won award of the best Priest of the year.
Addressing newsmen at the event, Architect Nkwegu said assisting the downtrodden and downgraded was boiled out of his heart to reduce their sufferings.
Hear him: “Reducing the plights of the poor and less privilege ones in the society is my priority, I feel that one of the greatest challenges to people is to have no hope.
“That is why I set up this NGO to be helping them by rendering unexpected useful service to members of the society without expecting any form of compensation or whatever from the beneficiaries, it is a horrifying experience not having anything to live on.
He noted that Regina Pacis Foundation is also committed towards giving a specialized skill and financial education among others to the people saying that the Vocational Institute had fifty two graduates this year.
He implored well meaning Ebonyians and Nigeria in general to cultivate the habit of helping the poor as God’s blessing await to such people.
In his address, the Chairman board of trustee in the foundation Rev. Fr. Johnpaul Uchenna Nwankwo observed that Regina Pacis Foundation for the past seventeen has touched many lives in their various activities including giving soft loan to widows, scholarship to indigent students, empowerment of the less privileged ones as well as skill acquisition programmes among others.
The cleric called all and sundry to always be giving to such helpless people to attract favor and grace of God in their lives and also conquer the fear of giving and poverty to make the world a better place.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the occasion Chief Innocent Ugo chima appreciated Architect Edward Nkwegu for taking such bold step, urging him not to relent as God would reward him back.
“Architect Edward Nkwegu is doing a good job for the poor, it is not everybody can do it, no matter how reach you are, free gift to the poor, free gift to the hospitalized people free gift to the depress and free gift to those in the prison, these are they things that God use to bless someone” he said
A Chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ebonyi State, Chief Mathias Adum said, Architect Edward Nkwegu has distinguished himself among his equals and enjoined others to emulate from him for a better society.
He described him as a godly man, a realist, a humanitarian and a lover of cultural exhibition that has set a standard that others need to surpass and prayed God to pay him back mightily with long life and good health.
The event attracted the clergy, the speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, the member representing Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency Chief Sylvester Ogbaga represented by his secretary Mr. Albert Oketa, the chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area Hon. Emmanuel Nwangele and his counter of Izzi Hon. Paul Nwogha and other distinguished personalities that made the event colorful.
Highlights of the event were cultural exhibition and cultural dance by group among others.