Uzodimma Inaugurates Medical Centre Umunoha As Imo Partners Czech Republic On Food,  Security

Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, inaugurated Jennifer Etuh Medical Centre, Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area. Uzodimma praised the late Jennifer’s foresight and love for humanity, which inspired the establishment of the hospital.

The Governor spoke at Umunoha’s commendation service and formal inauguration of the medical centre in honour of Jennifer Ramatu Etuh’s life and legacy on her 50th posthumous birthday thanksgiving.

He praised the Jennifer Etuh Foundation, particularly its Chairman, Mr. Thomas Etuh (wife of Jennifer), for selecting Umunoha for the South East slot of the hospital in accordance with Jennifer’s wishes, and described the gesture as “the height of generosity.”

He described Mr. Etuh as “a gentleman who has used his God-given wealth for service to God and humanity and empowering the indigent,” and expressed satisfaction that, “at the end of the day, we still have people who contribute to charity and empower the poor without waiting for the Government.”

“This is generosity, service to God and mankind,” he said, encouraging other well-to-do members of society to follow in the Etuh family’s footsteps.

He expressed his condolences to the Etuh family and prayed for strength to bear their irreplaceable loss.

Governor Uzodimma praised the Onwuzurike family, particularly Mrs. Tochi Onwuzurike, for their contributions to the construction of the medical centre in Umunoha.

The Governor said, “When you show me your friend, I will tell you who you are,” and thanked Mrs. Tochi Onwuzuruike for being Jennifer’s faithful friend.

Governor Uzodimma congratulated the Jennifer Etuh Foundation on its perseverance and determination in sustaining and honouring the late Jennifer.

“There is joy in beginning organised philanthropy. The Jennifer Etuh Foundation is one of them.”

Mr. Thomas Etuh, Chairman of the Jennifer Etuh Foundation and Jennifer’s husband, stated during his remarks that the event was to commemorate the life and legacy of his beloved wife, Jennifer, as well as to launch the 6th and final Medical Centre established in her honour.

Mr. Etuh stated that prior to his wife’s death, she had requested that a project in her honour be established in Umunoha, the hometown of her dear friend and sister, Mrs. Tochi Onwuzuruike and her husband, Mr. Charles Onwuzuruike, as well as in five other zones across the country as a way of contributing to the health needs of the oppressed.

He prayed that the hospital would continue to respond to Jennifer’s plea, bringing relief and hope to many while sparing them the difficulties that led to her death in 2020.

Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, was represented by Dr. Kingsley Achigbu, Chief Medical Director, Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, who stated that the inauguration was “in line with the New Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in tandem with the 3R mantra of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma in Imo State.”

He praised the Foundation for its efforts to provide access to health facilities to the rural population in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, including Imo State, and prayed to God to continue to sustain it.

A representative of the Umunoha Community and the husband of Imo State’s Deputy Governor, Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN), commended the Foundation and thanked the members for bringing the health facility to their community, as well as the Governor for personally inaugurating the hospital.

He stated that the hospital’s realisation is the result of “honesty, dedication, faithfulness, and diligence,” and assured of the facility’s sustainability.

Ekomaru agreed with his community’s traditional institution that the Jennifer Etuh Foundation had brought wealth to Imo State and the South East as a whole through health.

Earlier, the Czech Republic’s government held a meaningful discussion about the exploitation of abundant agricultural and other natural resources in Imo State, with the goal of increasing food production, creating jobs, and wealth for indigenous people.

Mr. Zdenek Krejci, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in Nigeria, could not hide his delight at the outcome of his meeting with Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma in Owerri on Wednesday, which he described as fruitful.

Governor Uzodimma shed some light on the meeting’s purpose, stating that it was essentially a partnership that would cover his government’s efforts in food security, livestock development, natural and solid mineral exploitation, power generation, industrialization, Orashi dredging, job creation, and other areas of wealth creation.

The Governor stated that based on the conversation, the Czech Republic Ambassador was open to meaningful collaboration with the Imo State government in the public’s interest.

He noted, for example, that Mr. Krejci is also interested in the State’s education sector and has expressed a strong interest in Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Umuagwo, with a focus on skill development.

The Ambassador emphasised that the Czech Republic has not only discovered areas of interest in Imo State, but also shares many similarities.

He emphasised the importance of Imo State capitalising on the Czech Republic’s expertise in agriculture and manufacturing to create a long-term value chain that will result in massive job creation and employment.

He described the meeting with Governor Uzodimma as fulfilling and promising, and stated that the Czech Republic looks forward to the partnership’s completion.

Mr. Krejci met with the Czech Republic’s Honorary Counsellor, Dr. Mrs. Derek Awosika.