MRS Eunice Abbey-Kalio, widow of Commodore Datoru Abbey-Kalio, victim of the air disaster, received many sympathisers. Some of these were: Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi (represented by his deputy, Tele Ikuru) and the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker. Dr Abiye Sekibo, an elder statesman, also sent a condolence message to the family. Naval officers also visited the widow and the family.

A year later, however, promises by the state government are yet to be fulfilled.

During the visit, Amaechi had given assurance that the state government would do everything within its power to cushion effect of the loss.  Parker, during the burial ceremony, promised to assist with the children’s education.

But the widow, during the remembrance of the victims on Monday, expressed surprise that promises made by the state government are yet to be fulfilled.

She said: “The state government, through the Deputy Governor, Mr. Ikuru, promised to give my children scholarship. But up till now, there has been no message from them. They also promised to provide jobs for us. Four of my children are graduates without jobs. I am a sociology graduate without a job. If they can give us jobs, then glory to God. The Commissioner for Health came during the burial and made some promises also. But we have not heard anything from them.”

When contacted, the Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Godswill Jumbo, attributed delay in fulfilling the promises to the selfish interest of the victim’s relatives. He said that a faction from the family wrote to the state government, demanding that assistance should be given to them and not the widow. Another faction wrote in and disassociated itself from the first faction, and requesting that it receive the packages instead.

He said that given the circumstance, the conflict of interest has to be settled before action can be taken.

Reacting, the Commissioner for Health reiterated commitment to fulfilling the promises.

Meanwhile, some members of the public who spoke to The Guardian berated the state government for delaying in fulfilling promises it made to the widow.  Another respondent, Mr. Emma Brown, said it is laughable that family members would overstep the widow and her children to request support from the government. He urged government to ignore the relatives and assist the widow and her children.