By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON, Kaduna.
A nongovernmental organisation (NGO), The Youth Challenge, says it is reviving a health facility project abandoned for over six years in Kaduna to take adequate medical attention to the grassroots.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NGO, Mr Andy Bako, seen at the project’s site which had been taken over by pigs, urged the Kaduna State Government to ensure the completion soonest.
The project was initiated in Unguwan Boro area of Kaduna by the government under the administration of Alhaji Namadi Sambo as governor.
Bako said that while the clearing of the site was going on “the NGO took the step to save life and respond to emergency cases in the area as well as improve the residents’ well being.
“We want the government to take charge of the project so that the people will not have to trek many kilometres before accessing care in a health facility.
“We also want to reduce cases of sudden death.
“For this one we are working on today; it is very unfortunate that it has been like this for the past 10 years,’’ he lamented.
“This clinic being built for a community was abandoned after it was roofed and doors and windows fixed, remaining the installation of equipment and employment of staff,’’ he said.
“Now the doors and windows have been vandalised leaving it as a husbandry for pigs and goats.
“We as an NGO have decided to clean the place, and then invite the local government to take ownership by providing facilities and staff.
“This will enable the residents not to go far away for treatment.’’
He pleaded with the government to assist the residents with modern health facilities.
“We know that each government comes up with new programmes and projects for the betterment of the people, so, we appeal to the authorities to renovate the project”.
Bako said there was the need for government projects to be protected by law so that new administrations would not be able to abandon them.
Some of the residents who also spoke with New Nigerian expressed satisfaction with the NGO’s gesture.
A traditional ruler, Mr Bala Jatau said the project, started during the PDP regime and was abandoned, adding that the residents had turned the place to a dump site.
Jataau said the NGO’s commitment to the project would attract government support to rural areas.
“With this support by the NGO, the residents will have access to primary healthcare before visiting secondary facilities in the state.’’
Mrs Mary Musa, a resident, also praised the effort of the NGO and described it as a life saver.
“The government abandoned the project without taking cognisance of the huge funds involved in initiating it.
“When a new government comes to power, instead of continuing with the project, it leaves it uncompleted and initiates another only for resources to be wasted.
As the saying goes `Health is Wealth’, I urged the government to take over immediately so as to save the life of the people.
“The health sector should not be toyed with,’’ she warned.
She expressed satisfaction with the gesture by the NGO, adding that the government should intervene quickly and partner with more NGOs.
“Abandoned projects should be completed and not left after spending a lot of resources for the sake of the masses.’’
