The Great Amazon Association, a group of professional women who retired from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) at management cadre, weekend donated food, groceries and other items to the Old People’s Home in Sabo, Yaba, Lagos.
Speaking at the event, the President of the association, Mrs Ann Ukpong, said the visit to the Old People’s Home and the donation of valuable items to the elderly were part of the commitment of the retired NPA female management staff to give back to the society.
She said while the Great Amazon Association has been operating quietly since it was set up in 2021, the visit to the Old People’s Home was the group’s first public outing.
“Today’s event is an excellent outing. We are happy; we are glad we interacted with the old people and they were happy. You know it is a good thing to show that you care in a world where everyone minds their own business.
“We are happy and fulfilled to have succeeded in putting smiles on the faces of the elderly. We have started well and this is just the beginning. They were also happy to see us. We prayed for them and they also prayed for us. We will do more.
“Retirement is not the end of the world. It is just the beginning of another phase in one’s life. I have retired for eleven years now and I am still strong and healthy. I can take up a new job. After retirement, you are vibrant, you want to touch lives, and you want to put smiles on people’s faces so, we still have a lot to do after retirement. This country needs us with the wealth of experience that we have.
“The Great Amazon Association is loaded with a wealth of experience and knowledge that should not be laid to waste because we were thoroughly trained by the Nigerian Ports Authority. This country needs us,” she said.
The Great Amazon Association has the first female Executive Director, Marine and Operations of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Elizabeth Aina Egharevba, as its Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman while Mrs Nana Asmau Yakubu is the BOT Secretary. Other members of the BOT include Mrs Carolyn Akum Ufere and Mrs Aisha Ali-Ibrahim who both served as Port Managers and retired from service as General Managers.
The President of the association, Mrs Ann Ukpong also served as a Port Manager.
The association was set up to encourage and provide opportunities for its members to update their knowledge and acquire new skills for self improvement and sharing for the welfare of society; protect its members from social injustice, discrimination and all forms of exploitation and extend helping hands and support in the hours of need; meet and share matters of common interest and work together to improve the quality of life of its members.