Emeabiam Health Centre ‘ll be completed soonest, Ondo First Lady assures kinfolks
….lays foundation of Ada Emeabiam II Health centre
The wife of the Governor of Ondo State, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has assured the people of Emeabiam in Owerri West local government area of Imo state, of prompt completion of the community’s health facility, named Ada Emeabiam II health centre.
Mrs. Akeredolu who is the Ada Owere 1 and Ada Emeabiam 11, gave this assurance while laying the foundation of the healthcentre on Friday.
She said: “I must confess that it has been long awaited and, at last, it is here. Delay indeed is not denial. I assure you that this project will be completed in record time and will be opened to the good people of Emeabiam and beyond who certainly deserve more than they have ever gotten from successive governments in the state”
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Rowland Onyeukwu, the Ondo First Lady stressed the importance of healthcare to any society, which she said can never be over emphasized, noting that “it promotes and preserves health, treats illnesses, extends life expectancy, supports economic productivity, reduces disparities, responds to emergencies, and gives the people a sense of safety. It is an essential component of societal well-being, contributing to individual and collective flourishing”.
The Ada Emeabiam II, who described the community as one richly endowed with natural resources, however, lamented the level of neglect it suffered in terms of development. According to her, she deemed it necessary to construct the health facility in order to save her people from travelling distance to access healthcare.
“Emeabiam is a well populated town, endowed by nature with rich vegetation, green and serene environment complimented by the beautiful waterside. The town also hosts the popular Imo Rubber Estate which annually injects millions of naira into the revenue coffers of the state government.
Despite this, Emeabiam has remained largely ignored and marginalized; lacking so many basic infrastructure.One of such basic infrastructure is a befitting healthcare facility.
“Emeabiam is still suffering from the absence of both government and privately owned health centres. To access care, residents have to travel up to 10 kilometres before they can reach the closest healthcare facility.
As a result, expectant mothers are often left at the mercies of quacks and Traditional Birth Attendants who may not have the knowledge and expertise of improved and more efficient birth delivery services. They are also not equipped to handle complicated situations.
“This has had its toll on the health of mothers and children in Emeabiam. What we are doing today is to change this story and usher in a breath of fresh air.
“As we take our own destinies in our hands today by laying the foundation of this Ada Emeabiam II Health centre, it is my deepest wish that we should all see this as a community project, our own project, for us and, for our own use and good.
She, therefore, enjoined the people of the community to join hands towards its sustainability and functionality, describing the project as a demonstration of her love for her land of birth as she reassured her unrelenting contributions.
“However, I must reiterate again that this is not Ada Emeabiam II project, it is the project of the people of Emeabiam.Let me assure you once again that this project will be handled with full attention and will be completed and unveiled in record time.
Most importantly, it is my wish that this project will usher in many other people-oriented projects that will benefit the good people of Emeabiam and beyond. Thank you all and May God continue to bless the wonderful land of Emeabiam”, she asserted.
In attendance included HRH Eze Engr. Eunan Eke
Okpo I of Umuokpo Emeabiam,
Emeabiam Kingmakers(Oha n’ikoro) Emeabiam women and Youths and other stakeholders.
