Recently, the Anambra Progressives Forum, an interventionist group convened by Sen. (Dr.) Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, is set to deliver two ultra-modern, fully-equipped isolation centers valued at over N500 million at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Permanent Site, Akammili, Nnewi, and at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The gesture, which came under the auspices of the The Anambra Progressives Forum, are novel patriotic projects, being put together by patriotic-minded indigenes of the state, who are driven and spurred by no other than by symmetrical ideals aimed at moving Anambra State forward.
The platform was conceived and convened by no other than philanthropic extraordinaire, Distinguished Sen. (Dr.) Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah. He decided to do this even after personal efforts at ameliorating the plight of the down-trodden indigenes of the state across the country, with massive donation of palliative items, which was distributed in several parts of the country, to provide support for the poor and the less privileged persons from the state. Not done with providing such relief food items, Sen. Ubah, was again moved by his desires to provide a more permanent source of relief for the millions of indigent people of Anambra State, especially the elderly, the sick, women and children as well as the indigent, who are resident in Anambra State, irrespective of their state of origin, religion, tribe or affiliation. It is this desire to chart the way forward and create a more lasting and sustainable roadmap that will address the health and developmental challenges in Anambra State, that pushed him to convene the APF.
Membership of the Forum comprises of no less than 343 personalities from the state, who hold similar desires and aspiration with Sen. Ubah to lift the people from the stranglehold of poverty, disease, want and difficulty. It is well know, all over the country and beyond that Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah does not sleep if he becomes aware that there are some indigent people who are in dire difficulty. He is known to have severally carried out extraordinary acts of human kindness which in no small measure transformed the lives of several of such indigent persons for the better permanently.
Should we remind Nigerians that through the highly-rated Ifeanyi Ubah Football Club and the Ifeanyi Ubah Football ClubStadium, the first of its kind in the country, nay Africa, that hundreds of people were offered opportunity to change their lives for the better. The football club not only provides opportunity for talented youth across the country and even abroad, to pursue their professional careers in football. Likewise, the stadium provides job for a teeming number of people to eke out a living, in addition to indirect jobs created through the facility on a daily basis, especially whenever a football tournament is being hosted at the stadium.
It was this same desire to provide for the people that pushed Sen. Ubah to convene several business mogul, professionals, political leaders and community leaders to found the Anambra Progressives Forum. Men of timber and caliber, including the likes of Dr. Cletus Ibeto (CON), Dr. Alex Okafor Chikason (OON), Chief (Sir) Dan Chukwudozie (Dozzay Oil), Pharm. Sam Ubachukwu, Chief Frank Okafor, Chief Tony Okonkwo, Sir Nnamdi Obi, Sir Uche Obiakor and Sir Paul Okafor, to mention but just a few of the benefactors, accepted to join forces with him to put up what has been accepted as a novelle initiative in health management process in the country.
According to Sen. Ubah: “The Anambra Progressives Forum is currently constructing three Medical/Surgical Centers with specific specialties in different health areas in Nnewi, Awka and Nsugbe, which cuts across the three Senatorial zones in Anambra State, in our bid to tackle the greatest enemy of mankind: Corona Virus.
“The primary aim of this initiative is to seek lasting solutions to the effects of the pandemic. We see this as legacies that will stand as reference point to showcase what the progressives did at this difficult time.
“We have been able to realise over N300 million in the first phase to build three Medical/Isolation Centers. These centers will be thoroughly sanitized and converted to permanent Medical Centers after the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s after effect had lapsed. We also hope to fully equip the edifices after constructing them so they can be put to immediate use.
“So far, good spirited Anambrarians and our friends who are non Anambra indigenes have risen to the occasion and have donated selflessly, irrespective of the economic difficulties brought about by the covid-19 lockdown/sit at home directive on their businesses”.
Sen. Ubah added that: “In our bid to leave no stone unturned in the transformation of the health sector in the state, we intend to build additional seven 700-bed capacity Medical Centers across the state. We commenced construction of projects lined up in the second phase of our programme in the first week of August. Our mission and major aim is to comprehensively brainstorm on management consultancy and the best way to go about these almost-completed Medical Center projects.
When The AUTHORITY visited some of the project sites, work had already advanced up to the screeding, painting and electrical fittings stages. Contractors were sighted working round the clock to ensure that we deliver and hand over the project, billed for commissioning today.
Dignitaries that have so far attested to the quality of work and expressed joy at the project included: Chief Emeka Agbanari (Seaman); UNIZIK Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Fredrick Odib; Director, Academic Planning, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu; and the Director, Medical Center, Prof. Lasbery Asomugha. In particular, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) at UNIZIK, Prof. Odibo, had expressed happiness to the Anambra Progressives Forum for the epochal projects which is hoped to strengthen qualitative healthcare delivery in the state.
With what Sen. Ubah and members of the APF are doing goes to show that inspite of the political topsy-turvy in the country, there are still several Nigerians who are willing to give back to the society rather than just remaining parasites on our collective patrimony. These gentlemen and women of goodwill will converge at UNIZIK, Nnewi, today to cut the tape and give life to first phase of their endeavour. As they do so, The AUTHORITY heartily wishes them a huge success and bountiful blessings from the Almighty God.
