Don’t Look Back, Rivers People Are Behind You, Odili Tells Fubara

Former governor of Rivers State, Sir (Dr) Peter Otunuya Odili has assured Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the full backing of Rivers people as he strives to put the state on the path of progress and prosperity.  He has urged the governor to remain focused and never look back despite daunting challenges on his way.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Model Primary Healthcare Centre in Ndoni Town, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday, Sir Odili urged the Governor to continue in his trajectory of people-oriented projects execution, touching the lives of the people directly with his governance.

The healthcare facility was built and equipped by the Odili Educational Foundation and handed over to the Rivers State government.

Dr Peter Odili said he was motivated to undertake the project because two years ago, when flood ravaged Ndoni Town, the health centre in the community was destroyed, leaving people within 50 kilometer radius without immediate healthcare services.

We thank you for what you are also doing in the human resource development sector.  Don’t look back.  Just stay focused knowing that your people are behind you.  So, we want to thank you for the great honour of coming to commission this little support.

Don’t look back because governance is not a matter of age.  It is a matter of your people is with you.  And they have asked me to tell you that you are the political leader of Rivers State.

Rivers people say ‘Where you go, we will go with you. Where you stand, we will stand with you’.  You are standing on firm ground, so stand there.  Hold on to God, and the rest of the journey will be a piece of cake!

Your Excellency, for standing up to your oath of office to defend the interest of all Rivers people in accordance with the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, you have done that standing firm on the ground, with the strength and courage of a lion.

We are proud of you. Politics is over.  It is now time for governance, and you have hit the ground running!  You have touched the critical sectors in less than one year in office.  You’ve touched education and you’ve touched health.  But the key of what you are doing so far is the focus on human being – on the people, especially the poor amongst us.

Your Excellency, the human being is the soul of society.  So, touching the lives of human beings is more important than anything else.  You have started showing signs of that, and may God strengthen and empower you to do more.

Your Excellency, your government is aligning correctly with President Tinubu’s federal government, especially in the health sector where in consonance with what you’ve come here to demonstrate today, a few days back, Mr. President has set up what he has called Primary Healthcare Fellows, a scheme that is programmed to cover the 774 local governments in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Our people say I should tell you to stand firm with the President, align with his positive policies and carry Rivers people to the engine room of government in the federal republic of Nigeria.

For those who have not bothered to pay attention, if you look at the map of Nigeria, the entire map of Nigeria is sitting on Rivers State.  When Rivers State coughs, Nigeria will catch cold!  So, regard your office as key and vital.

Governor Siminbalayi Fubara, in his address, emphasized that his Administration was determined to build an egalitarian society where people can freely voice their opinions, be bold to criticize his Government constructively to further advance good governance.

The Governor insisted that nothing close to the use of plain cloth security officers to intimidate or harass the citizenry will be associated with his Administration.

Governor Fubara said, “But I thank God that whatever it is they think or imagined we are doing, we are happy we are touching lives.

Everyone can attest to it. But one critical project, one specific aspect of it is the well-being of our people.

“We made a promise to Mr. President to support him, and we will continue to support him. How do we support him?

“It is to ensure that the welfare of our people is provided for. It is to ensure that our people, those in critical need, we make them happy in this harsh economic situation.

“If we cannot solve all the problems, at least, we will go as much as we can to mitigate those basic challenges. That is the only way to support Mr. President.”

The Comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centre was built and donated to the State Government by the PAMO Educational Foundation, with the former governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili, as its founder.

Drawing attention to what his Administration is doing in the healthcare delivery, Governor Fubara said he increased the quota of employment of personnel into the health sector to 1,000 persons.

The action, he noted, was because the 200 personnel he met on assumption of duty was grossly inadequate compared to the prevailing needs in the sector.

Governor Fubara also made reference to the deplorable condition of over 340 primary healthcare centres across the State when he assumed office, and explained that commendable rehabilitation work was ongoing to ensure the facilities function optimally.

To achieve the needed transformation and provision of quality healthcare services, Governor Fubara said the contractors that handled the reconstruction of the zonal hospitals have been invited and directed to return to site to complete the projects.

He stressed that the initiative was meant to bridge the yawning gap between the primary and tertiary healthcare services in the State.

The Governor said, “But I’m happy with what the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board has said here today.

“On assumption of office, it was different from what we have recorded. We are giving hope to the people. We are not going to stop improving that sector every day, by the special grace of God.

“We’ve gone further to improve our healthcare services by promising our people not just promising, but ensuring that we’ll see it through, that all the zonal hospitals must be put back to function.

“We have invited all the contractors that were awarded those jobs. We have asked them to return back to site so that those facilities will function to provide quality services to our people.

“The Secretary mentioned about employment. When we came on board, the number I saw allocated to you was 200. But I’ve given you 1,000 medical doctors. That will tell you that we place importance on efficient healthcare services for our State.”

Governor Fubara acknowledged as ingenious the conviction of the PAMO Educational Foundation to undertake the construction of such health facility as a private citizen deploying personal resources to give back to society.

The Governor described the gesture as the best thing that has happened to the people, which is worthy of emulation, and urged members of the community to own the project by protecting it.

Governor Fubara took a swipe at those describing his Administration as clueless because it is not constructing roads to personal property or serving the interest of few individuals.

He insisted that he was elected to serve the general interest of Rivers people, improve their social status and make life comfortable for them.

The Governor also told local government chairmen pretending to be serving the people while worshipping the interest of one man, that they were digging a pit to bury their political career.

He particularly expressed surprise that Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government chairman was present at the event, and chastised him and some others for avoiding State Government functions.

Speaking on the project, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, explained that the health facility that seats on the island of Ndoni in the political Ward 14, has 20-bed spaces, and will meet 80 percent healthcare needs of the people.

Dr Oreh said the health facility will offer such services like antenatal and postnatal services, deliveries, immunization, cervical screening, hypertension and issues of tuberculosis and other levels of health education services.

In his welcome address, Chairman of Rivers State Electoral Commission (RISEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), said the day will be remembered and treasured in history that a man, Dr Peter Odili, a genius, with humanity impulse, had used his personal resources to build a state- of-the-art health facility with support from his wife, Justice Mary Odili.

Justice Enebeli said that the event demonstrated effective  Public-Private Partnership to build and donate the facility by PAMO Educational Foundation, adding that the health centre will serve people in all the 18 villages in Ndoni Town.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Rivers State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Kinikanwo Green, said the event aligns with the policy thrust of the Governor Fubara-led Administration that has committed so much resources and motivation to making the facilities in the health sector function optimally.

After commissioning the facility, Governor Fubara took a tour of the wards, laboratories and equipment, and also performed the official launch of the State Health Insurance Scheme at the centre.

Governor Fubara, while on his way to Ndoni Town, stopped over briefly in Elele Town at sighting the crowd of youths, women, men and traditional rulers, who had waited to receive him enroute Ndoni.

The Governor waved at them, walked up to the canopy sheltering the traditional rulers, paid his homage and received the kolanuts they offered him.

Political leaders like the Chairman of Ocabic Group, Eze Okey Okah; and former commissioner for information and communications, Barrister Emmanuel Okah; are among indigenes of Elele Town in Ikwerre Local Government Area who joined the jubilant crowd to receive the Governor.