Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
By Unwana Jackson Asuquo
As part of events to mark his first year in office as the state’s chief information officer, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, in partnership with DOT Glasses, organized free eye services for all 298 staff members of his ministry on August 4, 2021.
The event which was held in the conference room of the Ministry of Information, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, Uyo, featured free eye tests, free consultations and free medical glasses.
To open the event, Ememobong gave a short speech on the importance of healthy sight sustained by frequent testing and care. Drawing examples from a similar event he organized in his home village for its indigenes, he said thus: “I can assure you that for the people in my village… it was an epiphany; the things they couldn’t see, immediately they put on the glasses it was like a miracle.”
In making a further case for eye tests, Comrade Ememobong drew parallels with the old and new TV models, saying as surely as images appear better on the coloured TV than on the black and white TV models, so will the eye tests ensure better sight.
He went on to introduce the CEO of DOT Glasses, Mr. Philip Staehelin, and his company’s Country Director Mmekidmfon Umana, while also assuring that: “if your case is more complicated than these glasses can solve, you will be referred competently to see an optometrist or opthalmologist depending on what your diagnosis will be.”
DOT Glasses’ CEO, Mr. Staehelin began with a vote of thanks to the Honorable Commissioner, Mr. Ememobong, “for your kind introduction”, before proceeding to educate the gathered staffers shortly on the company’s objectives, chief amongst which he gave as awareness. In his words: “Awareness is something that is lacking, some people who have not seen properly, they don’t know there is a fix, but the technology has been around for hundreds of years.”
The eye test and other services commenced after Mr. Staehelin’s short speech, with Mr. Ememobong the first to be tested by the CEO himself. Other officials and staff of the ministry followed thereafter.
After testing and consultation, free medical glasses were given out to those with the need for them and as promised, referrals were given as diagnosis informed.
At the conclusion of the commendable event, Margaret Moore, Senior Information Officer at Local Government Commission, thanked the Honourable Commissioner for the thoughtful gesture, praying that “God will strengthen and keep and bless him.”
