Imo State Government has handed over a brand new and fully equipped hospital facility to the Anglican Diocese of Ohaji/Egbema for effective management.
The Imo Commissioner for Health, Dr. Prosper-Ohayagha Success, made the official handover of the hospital on behalf of the state government to the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ohaji/Egbema, The Rt. Revd Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku on Monday.
The Commissioner noted that the 42-bed hospital project was built with the 13% derivation funds of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission meant to take care of the health indices of the people around the oil-producing areas of Imo.
He said, “The Governor in his wisdom thought it that the best thing to do is to put the hospital in the hands of the missionaries so that they actually can show compassion towards the sick people of the area, manage the hospital very well”.
Dr Success said that similar hospitals have also been built in other oil-producing Local Government Areas such as Oguta and Oru East which will also be handed over to the missionaries for management.
He said the heads of the church have the oil on their heads and when they are managing the place, healing comes.
He emphasized that the management of the hospital needs one who is truthful, plain and humane considering the fact that the hospital is situated in the rural area.
He said, “If you leave this kind of project in the hands of certain people, the money put in there will not be gotten back”.
Speaking on the facilities already put in place, the Commissioner said that he is 100% confident of the equipment having been the one who supervised the hospital from the beginning till now.
While receiving the documents and the key of the hospital, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ohaji/Egbema, The Rt. Revd Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku expressed appreciation to the Governor Sen . Hope Uzodinma for thinking in this direction of handing over such health facility to the church for management.
The Bishop said that even when he did not see this coming until the Governor made it known, he laude the Governor for having good understanding of the environment where the hospital is situated.
He said that the signing of Memorandum of Agreement, shows their acceptance to the management of the hospital while commending the Governor for accepting to take care of the salary bills for the first one after which the church will take over
Lauding the MD ISOPADEC Chief Charles Orie and the Commissioner for Health for their support and expertise ideas in ensuring the actualization of the project, he promised that the church will not allow the vision of the Governor to die.
He said that the management will immediately consider need to conduct interviews for the applicants assuring that anybody that is qualifies would be offered employment irrespective of where they are coming from
He said, “What we need here is excellency, people who are intelligent, creative, smart, and it will not be a place for dummies”.
The traditional ruler of Umuokanne/Abakuru autonomous Community HRH Eze Matthew Chiedozie Nwokoma, while thanking the Governor for show of love for the people of Ohaji/Edgbema, he promised maximumsecurity of the hospital
He said, “The Governor have shown us the leadership structure we have never experienced in the state and o have never seen a government officials that will build such edifice without making a dim as gain before handing it over to the church for management”.
He vowed that the structure for which the project is handed over to the spiritual head of The Rt. Revd Chidi Collins Oparaojiaku will not disappoint the government.
