By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu
An ultra-modern digitally savvy Anambra Progressives Medical Center Constructed and empowered by Anambra Progressives and Development Union (APDU) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, (NAU) has been inaugurated.
Anambra Progressives and Development Union (APDU), is a group of philanthropic minded Anambra sons and daughters both in Nigeria and in Diaspora led by Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah who came together to Champion development for Anambra state in all sectors.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony behind Unizik medical center, Awka, the National Convener of Anambra Progressives and Development Union (APDU), Senator Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah announced the development plans of APDU for the state which includes foundation laying of an Industrial city housing over 500 industries at Amichi , Nnewi South local government area and bonded terminal at Lilu , Ihiala local government area by January 10 ,2020 targeted at generating over 25,000 jobs.
He said the projects will skyrocket employment opportunities for Ndi Anambra and engage our youths meanidngfully.
Senator Ubah who said the hospital is one of the best in Nigeria added that the Anambra Progressives will be having their International Summit at Kigali, Rwanda March 2021 to learn how the country recovered quickly from their genocide and replicate some of the lessons in Anambra state to change the narratives.
Senator Ubah said: ” Nnamdi Azikiwe teaching hospital which is the only premium federal institution in Anambra state is still having till date a three bed isolation room for close to eight months of COVID-19 battle. This is what the state government should have enlarged or the well to do Anambra people.
” We felt it is something that is not palatable to progressives of Anambra people. We decided to build an isolation centre and enlarge it later on in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching hospital Nnewi before we built another in Nnamdi Azikiwe university, Awka. We also started the same project at Nsugbe but consent was denied from us by the government of Anambra state even when we have already invested over 10 million naira.
We have moved it to a religious facility in Onitsha.”
Dr Ubah who is also the Senator Representing Anambra South Senatorial zone in the senate also spoke to newsmen shortly after the event said he convened the Progressive Anambrarians around March and April, 2020 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic stating that the mission is to be progressive in mind among Anambra people, develop Anambra state and not to leave everything in the hands of the government.
On how the group planned the establishment of the isolation centers, he said the idea came when he noticed that the NYSC orientation camp in the state was converted to COVID-19 treatment center of which according to him parents will not like their wards to go and serve in COVID-19 infested camp.
Senator Ubah stated that the group is made up of men of great vision, spread across Nigeria and diaspora and are willing to make Anambra state great.
He said that the group with over 380 members raised over N480 million which were directly invested in humanitarian works, adding that it is also in the agenda of the group to create employment for the youths through the creation of industrial city that will incorporate five hundred industries, 500 dormitories as well as use the opportunity to create 25,000 employment.
He said that the group is also ready to embark on industrial development through the construction of inland ports that will provide incentives to Igbo business men who are known to be business oriented people.
“What we want is to develop Anambra state in the next twenty years. We want partners irrespective of political affiliation to join hands and achieve our 20 years developmental goal in the state. Nobody is a monopoly of wisdom and a tree does not make a forest. What we want is to join hands to develop Anambra state. We need a combined efforts to make Anambra state great, that is our destination.”
He also stated that the association is geared toward agricultural revolution in the state, stating that they will work in partnership with the traditional rulers in the state to develop agriculture in the state.
He maintained that the association is totally apolitical stating that aspirants like Chidoo Nwankwo, Valentine Ozigbo, George Muoghalu, Tony Nwoye and other guber aspirants are full members of the association.
Earlier in his speech, an illustrious son of Anambra state based in United states of America, Dr. Peter Nwosu berated Governor Willie Obiano – led Anambra state government over its refusal to consent to the establishment of COVID-19 project in Anambra state.
Dr. Nwosu claimed that the state government denied Anambra Progressives approval to establish a COVID-19 isolation and treatment center at Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe.
Dr. Nwosu who is the Diaspora Convener Anambra progressives in and Development Union said that the organization had intention to erect three hospitals in the three senatorial zones in Anambra state but the move was not welcomed by the state government raising questions over the credibility of the state government’s Akuluo uno ( think home) campaign.
He claimed that the governor disagreed on the project at Nsugbe because it was being established in a state owned institution adding that the organization resorted to building the said hospital in federal territories across the state.
Dr. Nwosu further said that it is meaningless for the state government to try to stop a project that can benefit the people of the state both rich and poor as well as even draw economic advantage to the state.
He said that ninety percent of the reasons Igbos in diaspora fail to return to the state is because of the poor health care in the country adding that those in diaspora are fully in support of the development of the state especially the health sector so as to cater for the wellbeing of the people.
He stressed that the Anambra indigenes in diaspora have assured of its readiness to promote healthcare delivery in the state through establishment of hospitals and heath centers. He said that the indigenes in diaspora have promised to fund the establishment of same in every local government area of the state if the three established hospitals become effectively functional, adding that the Progressives will support any Governorship Aspirant that will be supportive of the progressives move for a better Anambra as they are capable.
While stating that the organization is not politically motivated, he said that project of such magnitude being attracted to the state should not be hindered by political interests, or the problem being allocation of land whether state owned or federal owned.
He also noted that the organization will build an industrial city at Amichi in a land donated by Igwe Amichi which according to him will house five hundred (500)industries in the state. He assured that the traditional ruler of Amichi, Igwe Emeka Oforbuike volunteered to give the organization land to establish the industries.
He also said that the organization has in their plan to construct inland bond terminal to aid importers not only in Anambra state but the entire southeast. According to him, their plan was encouraged by the donation of land by another traditional ruler in the state, this time, the traditional ruler of Lilu in Ihiala Anambra state.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone thanked the Anambra Progressives and Development Union led by the Convener , Senator Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah for thinking back home, adding that it is not easy to give out even as he said that there are people who have but do not give.
He said that unizik is built after the legacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe and assured that anything built in the institution will be taken care of. He encouraged them to continue with the good work as whatever a man sows, he shall reap.
