By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – THE President of the Senate, Senator God’swill Akpabio is set to flag off empowerment programmes Persons With Disabilities, PWDs, on Wednesday September 17, 2025 in the three Senatorial Districts of Akwa Ibom State at Ikot Ekpene.

Meanwhile, the programme executed by Dudu Foundation, a premier humanitarian charity, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, will empower people with wheel chairs to aid their mobility and trade tools for their economic livelihood.

According to a press statement by the Founder of the Foundation, Ms Edu Offong, disclosed that the Senate President will be assisted by the Managing Director, MD, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku.

The statement also made it known that Senator Akpabio is a keen supporter of the Foundation, started during his tenure as the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

“When I first heard of the efforts of an ordinary citizen to step in to assist the government in helping the vulnerable in our society, I was moved”, he once said. And Dr Ogbuku on the other hand was also drawn by the zeal and passion of the Foundation’s Founder to bring succour to those with disabilities in the society.

The programme sits within the Commission’s social welfare initiatives to make the region an inclusive space for all persons irrespective of gender, ability and skills level.

According to the statement, the empowerment programme will provide for a total of 90 people (30 from each of the three senatorial districts) in Akwa Ibom State.

An online portal which opened last month called for public nominations. The beneficiaries are collated from the portal nominations, a step which has ensured public buy in.

This programme is the latest in Dudu Foundation’s charity outreach, which includes popular ones like the Back to School Initiative and financial support for men and women entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State.