By Victor AhiumaYoung

Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has expressed grief over the tragic death of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, in a helicopter crash in the United States of America.

Wigwe, aged 58, and five others, including his wife, son, and an associate, died in the unfortunate incident, which threw the entire country into mourning.

In a tribute he addressed to the Chairman of Access Holdings Plc., Dr. Dere Awosika, the former Minister and former Governor of Anambra State, through his Media Office Abuja, described the death of Wigwe, one of his youngest friends, as shocking and untimely.

Ngige said, “I am in grief. Herbert was very dear to me. He was my youngest friend who I fondly called ‘Herbie the tough’. The memories of his last visit to my office, while I served as minister, are still very fresh in my mind. I never had an inkling that he would leave us very soon.

“His death is a personal loss to me. The vacuum created by his death will be very difficult to fill in Access Holdings and Access Bank. The banking industry and financial sector lost a great gem. The Ikwere people of Rivers State have lost one of their financial princes and gurus of unquantifiable value. Indeed, he will be sorely missed in many quarters.”

Ngige commiserated with Access Holdings Plc. and the Chairman, Dr. Awosika, and prayed that God grants them the fortitude to bear this heavy loss and prayed God grant the soul of the departed eternal rest.