May 22, 2025
11 11 11 AM
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION

OBI DONATES N40M TO 2 HEALTH INSTITUTIONS- IN ENUGU 

Share

OBI DONATES N40M TO 2 HEALTH INSTITUTIONS- IN ENUGU                                                                                       07-05-25

By Sadiq Aminu                                                        The Labour Party Presidential Candidate in 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has donated N40 million to two faith-based health institutions in Enugu.

Obi, who was in Enugu to personally make the donations, gave N20 million to the Anglican Diocese of Enugu towards its building of Primary Healthcare Centers in the rural areas and N20 million to the Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI) Teaching Hospital, Enugu, owned by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.

Speaking at the occasions where he presented the cheques, Obi paid glowing tribute to the Church for taking up the duties of caring for the health and educational needs of the people, including engaging in poverty alleviation, which according to him are the duties of government, but for the latter’s failure.

Obi, who visited Amafor Ihuokpara in Nkanu East site of the Primary Health-care Centre under construction by Enugu Diocese, Anglican Communion and (GOUNI) Teaching Hospital, where he was warmly received by the two bishops, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike of the Anglican Communion and the Most Rev. Callistus Onaga of the Catholic, with other priests, management, staff and students, further commended the Church and voluntary organisations for stepping in to provide social services that the government had failed to deliver.

He said, “I thank the Church for the wonderful work they are doing everywhere. Let me assure you, I will be a supporter of this project. What you people are doing is what we are supposed to be doing in government. That is the job of the government.”

Expressing delight with Bishop Ike and the Anglican Diocese of Enugu for the health centre project in the remotest part of the state, Obi decried the failure of government saying, “This is what government should have been doing through you but we choose to steal everything.”

He expressed concern about the worsening levels of poverty and malnutrition in the country, citing reports from international agencies.

“If you look at what is happening now, the World Bank report this month showed that poverty is worsening in Nigeria. UNICEF shows that Nigeria is one of the countries with the most malnourished children because we have overtaken India in infant mortality. India is seven times our population. It is because we have abandoned governance. Governance in Nigeria is a crime scene. Instead of using the resources to do the right thing, we are using it to do the wrong thing, and the consequences are everywhere.”

Speaking to newsmen after his visits Obi said:  “If you look at measurable indices of development which are hinged on the human development index; the number one is life expectancy which is health. That is why they said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. So health is the number one measure of development.  So we must invest in it and as you can see, I am partnering with the church, who is doing an immeasurable work in this regard. That is why I am investing in it. The next is education. The more educated a society is, the more it develops. Again, the church is doing immeasurable work in education.

“The next is pulling people out of poverty. If you don’t pull people out of poverty, there will be a crisis that is why you see all manner of things in Nigeria. Again, the church is doing well in pulling people out of poverty. So we need to partner with the church. We must partner with voluntary agencies to be able to solve this. it is for all of us, anybody, be it a leader in politics, business anywhere we can all join hands in building a better society, let us do so. I thank the Diocese for this extraordinary work.”

Speaking to the medical and nursing students of the university, Obi urged them to take their studies seriously, noting that there is a growing global and national demand for healthcare workers.

“By 2030, the world is going to have a shortage of over 30 million nurses. So you are on the right course. You should take it seriously as something that the world needs. Nigeria already needs you. It may not seem like it today, but Nigeria needs about 1.2 million nurses; we have less than 200,000 registered today. So there is a huge demand. We need to have community hospitals, village hospitals. They are not working today because there is a shortage of manpower. So I thank you and urge you to be serious.”

Responding, Bishop Ike thanked Obi for the gesture and for taking pains to visit the health centre project.

“We have a multi-pronged priority. All we are simply trying to do in a revival agenda is to go to the owner of the founder of the church –Jesus Christ. What were his priorities?He had a manifesto – preaching the gospel, healing and development indices, social welfare. We are simply doing what Jesus said we should do.”

Bishop Callistus Onaga of the Enugu Catholic Diocese commended Obi for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of the poor and support for church-based initiatives.

“I was afraid that this appointment today would not work given the epileptic nature of our airports and our flights, but you assured me that it would work, and here you are. We are praying for you. As I said, not everybody loves what is right. Not everybody loves trying to look into the plight of the poor. But you’ve done it.

“This is not the only thing you are doing in Enugu. There are other hospitals you have helped, maybe you don’t even remember. What we are praying for is that your dream of Nigeria will come true. God will make it possible that someone who can handle that dream will be elected.”

Welcoming Obi to GOUNI, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Christian Anieke, highlighted Obi’s long-standing relationship with the university, describing him as a true friend and supporter.

“Your Excellency, your visit is part of the unbroken narrative of your continuous support of Godfrey Okoye University from the beginning of its existence as an approved university in the academic space of Nigerian universities. As Governor of Anambra State, you were the first Governor in Nigeria to identify with us. You not only visited us but also donated a bus popularly known in our university as the Peter Obi Bus. When students or staff request a bus, they say: ‘I want Peter Obi.’ As you can see, your name is on the lips of our staff and students.

“Your Excellency, when I informed you of the approval of our College of Medicine for Medicine and Surgery as well as Nursing, you assured me of your support. Little did I know that you still had it in mind, considering the thicket of duties around you. My Bishop informed me about your visit, which I followed up with a text message to you. You confirmed it, and today you are physically here.” he said.

0 0 votes
Article Rating

Leave a Reply

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Home
Our Channel
About Us
Contact Us
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x