*Say Ujah is an asset to Nigeria
By; ARCHIBONG ESUENE, Makurdi
The Concerned Youth of Benue State extraction have pledged support to the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Professor Innocent Ujah, describing him as a man with sound records and integrity.
At a press conference held in Otukpo, the headquarters of Otukpo Local Government Area, the group which comprises youth from the three senatorial districts of the state, called on all critical stakeholders across the border lines to support the growth of the first Federal University of Health Sciences in the land with the view to ending medical tourism.
The leader of the youth, Comrade Daniel Edoache Atayi, lauded the vision, astuteness, and developmental strides of the Vice Chancellor and enjoined well-meaning sons and daughters of Idomaland not to be distracted by any slight vested interest as long as it does not reflect the general interest of vast majority.
The group said they have observed with keep interest the politically orchestrated campaign of calumny carefully crafted by some vested interests to malign the hard earned reputation of the VIce Chancellor ,Prof. Innocent Ujah, saying that Ujah is an asset to Nigeria not only to FUSHO, but Nigeria.
The group who registered their concerns in placards and banners with different inscriptions “FUHSO is for world class students, commended the high quality and standard set for the university by the management team.
According to them, they will not allow outside politics distract the management team of FUHSO from laying the solid foundation for the first Medical University in the North Central in line with the policy direction of the Federal Governmen.
FUHSO, they said, is a specialised medical university and the need collectively work together for the general development of Benue South in particular and the state in general cannot be overemphasized,
On the FUHSO Teaching Hospital which is more of the practical wing of the medical university, the group expressed satisfaction with the management of the hospital the aggressive infrastructural development which they attributed to the mutual relationship that has existed between the management of the university and the teaching hospital.
They acknowledged the leadership style of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Hyacinth Alia for their driven programmes aimed at emancipation, socio-economic, infrastructural development which includes the health sector.
Comrade Edoache Atayi who acknowledged the sacrifices of the erstwhile President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, GCON, for his foresight in the establishment of Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, further said that with the kind of leadership and support from the Federal Government Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo is fast becoming a citadel of global reckoning.
Speaking on the recent appeal to the university management by some aggrieved youths from the host community,, the Concerned Youths of Benue State, maintained that having evaluated their grievances, they were of the firm conviction that Prof. Innocent Ujah is on the right trajectory, while acknowledging the inalienable rights of citizens to peaceful protest
The Concerned youth while calling on the management of the university to passionately look into their request judging by the current situation in the country, the group equally cautioned that, “we must not spite the face because of the runny nose. We sincerely appeal allow peace prevail, as no meaningful progress can be achieve in an atmosphere devoid of peace and tranquility”.
Speaking further, the group said FUHSO is an answered prayer for the people of Benue South Senatorial District, all hands must be on deck to nurture it like a baby to a position of envy.
“We should not allow politics of animosity, greed and self centredness to rob them (Idoma) of these feats because no one cuts away its nostril for discharging flu or catarrh”
While calling on well-meaning sons and daughters of Idoma nation to be wary of disgruntled elements whose only interest is to destroy the tremendous progress recorded so far, encouraged those willing to know the state of affairs of the University to come clean to the school as records and facts abound.
The group therefore, called on all to join hands with the VC and the management of the pioneer Medical University to move it to a greater heights, “hence there is time, and season for everything and certainly this is not the period of distractions on the management of FUHSO.”
