Lagos — MEMBERS of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday, honoured Josephine Ugwu, the female cleaner who returned the sum of N12 million, which she found while cleaning a toilet at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, in January.
Deputy Speaker of the House, Taiwo Kolawole, who presided over the plenary session, presented a letter of commendation and undisclosed amount of money to Miss. Ugwu.
The letter of commendation, according to Kolawole, was for her (Ugwu) act of honesty and patriotism for returning the sum N12million on Friday, January 23 2015, also appreciating her for “leveraging the country.”
According to the letter, which was read on the floor, “your action is a great inspiration to many who believe in the future of Nigeria; your conduct has positively affected the image of Nigeria internationally.
“It is an act worthy of emulation and because of this; we decided to hold a special parliamentary session to celebrate your honesty, integrity, uprightness, sincerity, truthfulness and patriotism. We truly believe in you.”
Deputy Whip, Rotimi Abiru, who brought the issue before his colleagues, sometime in January, said he was very happy that the motion on Ugwu has seen the light of the day, just as he thanked the House for celebrating the patriotic cleaner.
Abiru also congratulated Ugwu for being a proud Nigerian who has demonstrated to the world that, there is hope for us as a nation. “She has written her name in gold and so Nigerian youths must emulate her good character,” he added.
Commending her earlier, Segun Olulade urged the House to give Ugwu employment in the Assembly or recommend her to the state governor for employment to encourage other Nigerian youths to emulate her.
While agreeing with his colleague, Rotimi Olowo added that the state government should immortalise her by naming any state institution or monument after her to drive home the need for honesty and integrity among the youths in the country.
Thanking the House for the gesture, Miss. Ugwu said she was very happy, adding that “I never expected that I will be honoured to be in this Assembly talk more of been recognised and honoured by this institution.”
According to her, she was just doing her duty and following the rules of the organisation she is working with and also living according to the training she received from her parents who brought her up and inculcated the virtue of honesty into her.
“My family trained me not take anything that does not belong to me. I also want to prove to the world that Nigeria is a good country with people of integrity unlike the wrong impression they have about the country”, she said.
She disclosed that it was the third time since December 2014 that she was returning money left behind by passengers to the Airport security. Ugwu was accompanied to the Assembly by the Managing Director of her company.
Puntlandi.com
Nigeria