Okowa Divulges Reason For Constructing Internal Roads In FMC Asaba
The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), located at the heart of the Delta State capital plays host to a lot of people as tertiary health institution which provides medical services for all persons within the state capital and its neighbouring states, the Delta State governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has said.
“every time I come in here, I find that there is a lot of work and patients loads and by the grace of God while I find myself in the senate I was able to attract this current Orthopaedic/Surgical ward from the NDDC and also the administrative block/consulting room that is on the other side of the road”, he revealed.
Okowa gave the revelation Thursday during the official commissioning of the internal road at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba.
According to the governor, “I felt it was necessary to help beef up the infrastructure here because there is a lot of patients load and a great work is being done in this federal medical centre”.
He said although the state has also embarked on the construction of its own central hospital which has not been completed, “even when we do complete that, the federal medical centre will continue to play a lot of role in providing health care for our people and coming here to see the difficulty in accessing this Orthopaedic block along with the doctors centre and other facilities in this hospital, I felt that it was necessary for us to construct this road”, Okowa pointed out.
The governor who took the opportunity to lament the dwindling federal allocation coming to the state occasioned by the recent militia activities in the Niger Delta Region said, “We are obviously even getting deeper into economic mess but we know that God will see us through and this pains will soon be the thing of the pass”.
Okowa appreciated the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien for the role he played during his governorship campaign, revealing that the ongoing Cable-Point road dualization was an advice put to him by a committee set up by the reverend monarch, “they made a passionate appeal and I thanked God that we are achieving it”.
He said the road which has a large population of people would help commerce and the people living around it to believe “there is government that cares about them”, assuring that his administration would do its best in the development of the state.
He urged the management of the institution to continue to do their best in impacting on the health of Deltans as the road construction would also help to ease transportation in the institution.
Also, the Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye who highlighted other roads to be commissioned which includes Ezewai Street and Christ Embassy Road noted that the roads were awarded on December 15, 2015 at the cost of N150 million while Osonia Street of 695 metres was awarded at the cost of N128 million.
The Medical Director (MD) of FMC, Dr. Victor Osiatuma appreciated the governor for the massive infrastructural development he has brought to the hospital, revealing that the management of the healthcare institution has drawn up a proposal to dedicate the road and the Orthopaedic building to the legacy of governor Okowa.
“To us this is no better way to appreciate him for the massive contribution he has made to the infrastructural development to the hospital”.
The chairman of Oshimili South local government area, Barr. John Obusom commended the governor for fulfilling his infrastructural promises to the people during his campaign even as he noted that despite the economic meltdown, the governor’s SMART agenda has continued to thrive.
The governor also inspected the ongoing construction work at the Okpanam and Cable-Point Road dualization.
Okowa was accompanied on the tour by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah and other top government functionaries.