By; MKPUMA ENYINNA, Abakaliki
As part of his efforts to ensure quality education and best medical healthcare in Ebonyi State, Governor David Umahi has pledged to reticulate light across some communities in the state, including the newly built medical university in order to facilitate academic activities and medical programmes in the institution.
The governor who made this known when the leadership of the school paid him Christmas homage at his country home, Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, further said that the six MVA was given to the state by President Muhammadu Buhari to boost the economic activities, saying that all the communities along that axis will benefit from the proposed reticulation of light which will commence before the end of February 2023.
“I have started the process of bringing light from Nkalagu to reticulate a number of communities at Nkalagu because we have six MVA that is built and has been given to me by TCN and so, the light will power all the communities, starting from Okpoto Lime Stone, which the president is building with me. I will also take that light through Agba, through Okpoto, through communities in Ishielu, through Isu, through Onicha and then bring it to the University.
“This is going to happen before the end of February, work will start tomorrow. All the communities along this axis will be lightened up, and this light will also go through Afikpo North and South because this MVA is quite very big that can power all this communities round,” he said.
He used the opportunity to debunk the false rumors in some quarters that described his projects as “White elephant”, explaining that the aesthetic facilities in both the university and teaching hospital are the first of its kind in Africa and have given jobs to over a thousand Ebonyians.
“We are building the first factory that is not found anywhere in Africa and that is “Dialyzer factory” which will manufacture what is used for the treatment of kidney and you say it is white elephant project? Such a person does not want to even campaign in our state.
“You know when Queen Sheba visited king Solomon, she saw the splendour in the land of Israel and said that what was told of her about the glory and splendour of Israel is nothing to compare with what she was seeing,” he said.
Governor Umahi also charged the vice chancellor, Prof. Jesse Uneke to ensure that all the staff of the institution are effective and efficient in discharging their official duties as that is the only way to sustain the institution and also help them to be medically fit.
“One thing you must do, is to get every man and woman to work in this university. When we supervise people to work, we are helping them health wise, we are helping them to be happy. When you work, there is this hormone that secretes into your system and makes you happy, it makes you to have hope because without hope, life is lost.” He advised.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor of the David Nweze Umahi University of Medical Sciences, Prof. Jesse Uneke, commended the governor for his outstanding performance across the state, especially in the new university, where he has employed many people and offered the best medical facilities to make it a world class institution, which has placed the state ahead of others.
The event was attended by principal officers of the university, including the registrar, librarian, bursar, among others.
The end of the year Christmas homage, featured dancing entertainment from Ebonyi State Arts and Culture, presentation of Christmas gifts and chieftaincy titles to the governor from traditional rulers and other groups.
