By Kenneth Onuoha
Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State has commenced erosion control-cum-fencing work at the Primary Health Care (PHC) centre in Obinu-Ofia Nduno community within the council area.
Laying the foundation stone for the project at the PHC centre on Thursday, February 25, 2021, the Chairman of the council area, Mr Chukwudi Ani, said that the project would effectively protect the health facility from thieves and erosion.
Ani, who was represented by the Supervisor for Housing and Rural Development, Mr Michael Ozonweke, said that the council and the state were seriously committed to improving the welfare and living condition of the people.
He explained that both governments were putting emphasis and funding to health facilities to ensure that the disease burden of the people was reduced and lead to a reduction in the poverty rate in the area.
He expressed the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration’s commitment to providing basic healthcare needs at the rural areas to ensure that no one spends time and money travelling far for basic and minor health issues.
“I must thank our amiable governor for coming personally to inspect the erosion disaster, as well as approving some money for the council to speedily mobilise to check the erosion and re-erect the fence.
“Gov. Ugwuanyi, including the leadership of Ezeagu council, is passionate about the welfare of the people, especially the health needs of the people,’’ he said.
The chairman, however, did not mention the amount the project would cost, saying only that “the project will last for one month before the commencement of the rainy season’’.
The President-General of the community, Chief Livinus Umeh, appreciated both the state and council governments for the special attention given to the community.
Umeh assured that the community would support those handling the project to ensure its quick completion.
“As a community, we will continue to mobilise our people to secure the PHC centre, as well as working materials provided for the project,’’ he assured.
Speaking, a nurse at the PHC centre, Mrs Benedict Ike, said that it was “very useful” to the people for child delivery, as well as taking care of minor common illnesses such as malaria, typhoid etc.
It would be recalled that Gov. Ugwuanyi, after inspecting the damage caused by the disaster in the PHC centre in December, 2020, donated the sum of N5 million to assist the council area carry out repair-cum-erosion check work.