By John Akan
The United State Ambassador to Nigeria , Mr. Terence McCulley, on Saturday
Commissioned an ultra modern fish project at Child’s Right and
Rehabilitation Network (CRARN) Centre, Ikot Afaha in Eket, the major oil city of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ambassador McCully stated that the US government was prepared to support groups and organisation that work
towards enhancing the quality of lives of the vulnerable and the less privileged members of the society.
“We will continue to give our support to organisations and community that
pay greater attention to alleviating poverty in the midst of its community
and gear up quality lives of the under privileged people, the women and
mostly children who need helping hands, who crave for support and comfort.”
The Ambassador commended CRARN for paying greater attention to the
underprivileged children and women who suffer torture and other forms of
horrendous abuses in the hands of those who owe them a duty of protection
and love. He acknowledged that his office had been following the good work
of CRARN for quite a long time and found it worthy for its support; and promised to give further assistance to organization and the community.
A community leader and former Eket chapter Chairman of the defunct NPN,
Apostle Okon Harry Ekpuk expressed the community’s deepest appreciation to
the Ambassador and his team for selecting the Eket community as one of the beneficiaries of their projects. Apostle Ekpuk averred that the fish
project will go a long way in touching the lives of the ordinary people.
“His Excellency, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, let me at this moment express out profound appreciation to you and your team on behalf of the people of Eket Community and its environs and to state categorically clearly that this project is a huge one, and will so strongly touched the lives of the ordinary people of this community and beyond and we will do
everything humanly possible to protect and sustain it. Our community is a humane and hospitable one, so our is culture…. ” Ekpuk said
Apostle Ekpuk who spoke glowingly of the good work of CRARN said despite
daunting challenges, the organization was still working hard to save live of children. He urged CRARN to continue with its services to humanity for
which he said holds abundant, nature and God’s reward.
“As you can see, CRARN is not only a blessing to this community, but a
huge asset to world and entire human race, given its philosophy, advocacy
work and humanitarian record of saving and indeed transformation of children lives and the aged ones beyond its scope of operation.”
In his response, the principal attorney to CRARN, Mr Pius Madaki expressed
gratitude to the Ambassador for citing a project of such magnitude at the
CRARN Children Centre; and expressed the willingness of the organisation
to train the community to replicate it in various communities. He said the
fish project will no doubt propel a lot of ordinary people to be self-reliant.
” It is my strongest belief that this project will touch the lives of the
disadvantage children, foster parents, the ordinary people and the community towards becoming self-reliant…” Madaki asserts
According to the project coordinator, Mr Akpan Umoh, the pond has four
compartments ( One Nursery pond, one Transition pond and two Raising pond) which
has the capacity to nursing 8000 fingerlings and raising 15000 maturec atfish, was constructed and completed in July 2012 with support from US government
He maintained that the organization would not loss focus in its quest to enlighten the society on. mental reconstruction, superstition and witchcraft belief; rescuing and rehabilitation of stigmatized children.