November 26, (THEWILL) – The Abdul Samad Africa Initiative has donated a sum of N2.5b to Ogun State Government towards the construction of Mother and Child Unit at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.
The Foundation’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ubong Udoh, while presenting the cheque at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital, said that it would assist the state to improve and reinvent its health sector
Udoh, said that the organisation decided to partner the state due to its impressive efforts at repositioning the health sector through the renovation of Primary Health Centres and re-equiping other medical facilities across the state.
The MD stated that health remained one of the most important sectors that cannot be ignored as it impacts on the generality of the people, noting that his organisation, apart from health, also focuses on education and social development.
Udoh said Ogun is the fourth state after Edo, Sokoto and Taraba to benefit from such initiative, saying “we do not decide what to do for a state. All we do is sit down with them and they tell us what they want.
“We take geographical location into consideration. We have sited projects in four geographical areas of the country this year and the remaining two areas will get their turn next year”, he noted
He said that the Initiative has set aside a sum of N31b to carry out life-changing initiatives in states and other African countries, as a sum of N19b had been set aside for the health sector from the said amount
Udoh, however, explained that the quality of vision of the state plays a huge role, on the yardstick of choosing it as beneficiary, saying that the visions was being exemplified by the state government’s policies and programmes.
The governor, while responding to the donation, said that it was the largest since the creation of the state 45 years ago, stressing that the state values such kind of partnership.
He said “These are the kind of relationships that we value and nurture. It is a clear testament of the successful creation of trust between our administration and the private sector, particularly in line with our vision which set out to create an enabling environment for the public private sector partnership.”
“This administration is only about two years and five months in office; we are not the first administration in Ogun State; this state is forty-five years old, however, this state has not witnessed such level of public private partnership in the history of the state, something new is definitely happening in Ogun”. he added
Abiodun commended the foundation for the donation recalling how it supported the state during the height of COVID-19 pandemic, especially when the state began the drive to increase its ambulances fleet.
He divulged that his administration was committed to prioritize the health sector through equipping and training of medical personnel, stressing that the State Infectious Disease Hospital which remained moribund for a long time has been revived.
Abiodun, therefore, called on Nigerians to be vigilant as a new variant of COVID-19 has been reported in different parts of the world, assuring that the donation would be used for the purpose it was meant for.
He further urged other corporate organizations to join the state in its efforts at bringing the needed succour to the people.
About the Author
