The Chief of Staff to the Governor of Delta State, Hon. Johnson Erijo has called on the organised private sector and well-to-do individuals to contribute to the development of the state.
He made the call on Monday while inspecting a six-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) built and equipped by Chuks Agidigbo Leadership Foundation and MEDAST Nigeria Limited at the Central Hospital, Kwale, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The Chief of Staff who expressed surprise at the state-of-the-art equipment at the ICU, urged operators of the organised private sector and well-to-do individuals to contribute to the development of the state, especially in the provision of infrastructure.
“We are here to inspect the Intensive Care Unit at this hospital, this is a very good development and I will brief my Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori with a view for us to know when it will be most suitable for us to formally receive the structure and facilities from the donors, Chuks Agidigbo Foundation and MEDAST Nigeria Limited.
“This gesture is worthy to be emulated by the operators of the organised sector, well-to-do individuals, especially, Deltans because like what Mr Chuks Agidigbo stated as the reason for providing this facilities, government cannot do it alone,” Hon. Erijo said.
Also speaking during the tour of the facilities, Engr. Goodnews Agbi, Special Adviser to Governor Oborevwori on Project Monitoring, asserted, “if everybody is doing this, if everybody have the heart to execute projects where there is need for such and they are capable of executing such projects and donate to the government, the burden on government will reduce.
“We are very grateful to you, Mr Agidigbo for this project, we will notify the governor for proper handover of this project to the state government.”
Mr Agidigbo, Chief Executive Officer of MEDAST Nigeria Limited who initiated the project had while taking Hon. Erijo and top government functionaries on tour of the ICU, disclosed that the experience of people during COVID 19, spurred him to execute the project, stating that the unit has oxygen flow meters, ventilators, nurse station for monitoring of patients, among other facilities.
He said, “During COVID 19, we saw the need for this facilities to be provided for our people, it is a fully equipped Intensive Care Unit, there is provision for continuous flow of oxygen as this is one facility that is required for the accreditation of a University Teaching Hospital.
“Our aim of providing this facility is to encourage people to find ways to mobilize private sector support for government because, government cannot do it alone, this is the first that we are building in Delta State and by the grace of God, it will not be the last.”
The Senior Special Assistant, Media to the Governor of Delta State, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, the Zonal Medical Director in charge of the hospital, Dr Patrick Ofili, the Zonal Chief Nursing Officer in the hospital, Mrs Judith Ibobo, among others, toured the facilities.