By Lydia Ndubuisi
Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi on Friday said his administration would declare state of emergency in the health and education sectors.
This was made known in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Monday Uzor.
According to him, the governor made the remark during a courtesy visit by members of Abakaliki Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria and the Management and Governing Council of Ebonyi State University to him.
He said the governor, considering the place of good health of citizens in engendering development, his administration will not rest on its oars until the health and education sectors are reformed to optimum capacity.
“Many of the general hospitals in the state are not functional; how do we go about it, now we are talking about human capital development and we are talking about the welfare of our children and elders.
“We need to declare state of emergency in this health sector. We need to have at least one functional hospital here in Abakaliki and with our collective support we will get it right,” he said.
The governor stated his readiness to approach the Federal Government for possible return of the state’s Teaching Hospital to Ebonyi State University.
He called on members of the profession to rise against infiltration of quacks among them.
On Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, the governor assured he would make it one of the best institutions of learning around the world.
“I want Ebonyi State University to be the best university; we have the capacity and we can do it. When it comes to the status of the university today, we are badly challenged,” Nwifuru added.
The governor also hinted of his intention to reintroduce overseas scholarship for the people as a way of leveling up the educational standards of citizens.
“We are going to reactivate the Scholarship Board and we will get it right,” he stated.
Earlier, the leader of Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria, Dr Ozoemena Oboke, said they were in the governor’s office to congratulate him on his successful inauguration and equitable spread of political appointees.
Oboke further thanked the governor for appointing one of their members, Dr Moses Ekuma, as the Commissioner for Health.
Also at the courtesy visit, the Management and Governing Council of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki congratulated the governor on his emergence as the fourth Executive Governor of the state.
The Chairman of the Governing Council, Rev. Abraham Nwali and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chigozie Ogbu, appealed for assistance to enable the university tackle its financial challenges.
