The Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA) Onne Chapter, led by its Chair Lady, Hajiya Amina Aliyu Babandede, concluded 2024 with impactful gestures of generosity and empowerment. During a special event on December 31, 2024, held at the Customs House in Onne, the association donated essential food items, including rice, cooking oil, and noodles, to orphanages and underprivileged individuals.

In addition to the donations, 40 widows from the Ebubu Barracks community were empowered with grinding mills and sewing machines to aid their economic independence. Hajiya Babandede highlighted the importance of supporting widows and vulnerable members of society, particularly during festive seasons, to promote self-reliance and community solidarity.

The Chair Lady expressed her gratitude to the President of COWA, Mrs. Kekilemo Adeniyi, for her steadfast support and dedication to the association’s objectives. She also thanked her husband, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, Customs Area Controller of Area 2 Command Onne, for his encouragement and fatherly role to the association’s members.

The event was attended by notable figures, including Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, the Chair Lady of the Nigeria Immigration Service Wives Association (Rivers State Marine Command), representatives from the Nigerian Ports Authority Onne, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Port Command, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service.

Priest Hood Orphanage Home in Onne expressed their appreciation for the thoughtful donations, with a vote of thanks highlighting the Chair Lady’s compassion for the children in their care. Widows from the community also lauded the initiative, describing the grinding mills and sewing machines as transformative gifts.

In her closing remarks, Hajiya Amina Aliyu Babandede reaffirmed her commitment to sustaining and expanding COWA Onne Chapter’s outreach efforts in 2025. She expressed gratitude to all attendees for their support and encouraged continued partnerships to uplift the less privileged.

The event capped off the year with a strong message of hope and empowerment, setting the tone for greater community impact in the coming year.