Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, has donated N20 million to the Godfrey Okoye University (GOUNI), Enugu in support of their ongoing hospital project.
Obi, who was also the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, gave the support on Tuesday when he visited the institution.
He said that his support to nursing schools was for the fact that Nigeria needed more than 1.2 million nurses to addressing shortage of the profession in the country.
Presenting the Cheque Obi said the world was going to have more than 30 million shortages of nurses by the year 2030 if more attention was not given to the sub-sector.
He, however, urged the nursing students to be serious with their studies, emphasising that the country would need their services more.
“Already, Nigeria needs about 1.2 million nurses as they do not have enough registered nurses and therefore, you are on the right call and should take it seriously as it is something that the world needs.
“We need to have you in our community hospitals which are not working today because of shortage of manpower,” Obi said.
According to him, report from the World Bank this month showed that poverty was worsening in Nigeria and UNICEF report showed that Nigeria is one of the countries with more malnourished children and has overtaken India in infant mortality.
This, he said, occurred because leaders abandoned governance for something else instead of using the country’s resources to do the right thing.
“Every month I have to support an institution like this, I thank GOUNI for what they are doing and be rest assured that my visit today is not the last but the beginning.
“I will continue to thank the voluntary agencies especially the church for the wonderful work they are doing.
“Let me assure you that I will be a supporter of this project.
“What I am doing now is not politics but to move the country forward and make it work,” Obi explained.
In a remark, the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Callistus Onaga, lauded Obi for looking into the plights of others especially the poor.
“We are happy that you are here and associating with us. God will continue to protect you.
“This is not the only thing that you are doing; there are other hospitals you are helping. What we are praying is that your dream of Nigeria will come true,” Onaga prayed.
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, GOUNI, Prof. Christian Anieke, acknowledged that Obi had been helping the institution even as the governor of Anambra State as well as attending its lecture series.
He commended Obi for his contributions to the university, saying, “Godfrey Okoye University must reciprocate this generosity with a befitting academic recognition.
“You have done so much for this university and Catholic Diocese of Enugu. We will support you as we owe our prayers to you,” Anieke said.
