A former Imo State federal commissioner at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), Dr. Otuokere Njaka, yesterday, in Abuja, called on the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, to help revive the Njaka Community Medical Centre in Akokwa, Ideato North LGA in Imo State.
Njaka, a philanthropist and former lawmaker in Imo State House of Assembly, said that if revived, the medical centre would go a long way in providing basic health care to Akokwa people as well as other communities, just as it would help enhance the health care delivery programme of the Okorocha administration.
He explained that the hospital he established and ran for an unbroken 27 years immediately after the Civil War and which had provided free medical services to thousands of people, was forced to shut down in 2002, when he got caught up between personally managing the hospital and serving the nation at the RMAFC.
According to him, the hospital was established primarily to assist and provide medicare to mainly the less privileged and observed that with the populist programmes of Owelle Okorocha in Imo State, he is optimistic that his dreams for setting up the hospital will not die.
He explained that apart from the Imo State government, he would reach out to his foreign friends and other international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) so that they could contribute needed technical assistance as they did in the past and revive the glory of the hospital which former Governor of the State, Late Sam Mbakwe described as the best in the State at a time.?
“Governor Rochas Okorocha reminds me of Dr. Sam Mbakwe of blessed memory; just like Achike Udenwa.? What I have seen in Rochas Okorocha makes me happy.
“I have worked with him in the past and I know him very, very well.? I am pleased with what he is doing at the moment in Imo state.? I hear he is planning to establish hospitals in every local government area and I would like if he could come and partner with us and possibly upgrade the hospital.
“He is opening roads everywhere.? Look at the schools and how he is working hard to restore the dignity of our educational system, especially at the grassroots level?? Look at what he is doing there.? The hospital is an NGO and so, I would appreciate if they could partner with us. He is one of us and I am happy that he is doing well and we need to encourage him.? I know him way back in Jos and all the good works he did over there.? I know he has not changed. I will approach him to assist us on this matter,” Dr Njaka emphasised.