By; VICTOR DAZANG, Kaduna
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA),Kaduna State branch, on Saturday, held the foundation stone laying and fund raising ceremony for its proposed N150 million secretariat in the state.
Dr Stephen Kitchener, the Chairman of the occasion, commended the association for the land acquisition which, he described, as a great achievement.
Kitchener gave the assurance of his maximum support to the actualisation of the association’s aspirations, the completion of the project and other developments in the health sector.
” I am happy to witness the foundation laying of this secretariat and pray that it will be completed soon, so that our next gathering for any event will be at the permanent site here.
” It is not easy to have a permanent place, but I am happy with the officers of the association who stood on a stronger side to see that we have this site.
” I urge you all to give them maximum cooperation by contributing, so that their efforts will not be in vain”, he said.
He urged them to put in efforts to the completion of the project.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni, congratulated the association for securing the property.
She said that besides the property, the NMA’s contributions to healthcare services in the state cannot be overlooked.
” They always ensure healthcare delivery was done properly”, she added.
She assured of the involvement of the private sector in health delivery in the state.
Also speaking, Prof Mike Ogirima, past president of the association, said that the project, if completed, would go a long way to contribute to branch’s in addition to creating avenues for welfare packages for its members.
He commended members of the association, the project committee, and other stakeholders, for their efforts at actualising the project.
He, however, urged the company handling the project to deploy all the professionalism, in ensuring the completion of the secretariat on time and according to specifications.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the association, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, appreciated members and all affiliates of health for their continued support.
He said that in over 60 years of its existence, the association had been renting, but they were able to secure a land now and would soon commence building.
” The association secured the land, courtesy of a special Assistant to governor of the state.
” We want to have a secretariat and hall on the land acquired, so that we can carry out our activities without renting”, Sokomba said.
The highpoint of the occasion was the presentation of the design for the proposed secretariat and hall building.
There was also the formal foundation laying ceremony by the representative of the association’s elders, traditional rulers, NMA branch chairman and the executive members of the union.
