By Ifeizu Joe
Members of Umuogem community in Ufuma, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State have disowned few indigenes of the community for fighting against the establishment of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) annex in the area.
Some individuals in the community who have been described as land racketeers have been said to be working against the teaching hospital annex project. Recently they insisted that the project was a plot to corner their community land.
The community had in December 2023 allocated 11 hectares of land for the project. A memorandum of understanding between the community and the hospital which was sighted by this THE RAZOR showed that the land was to be used for the annex.
The project was approved by the federal government in honour of a son of the community, Prof Joseph Ugboaja OON who has made giant strides as the Chief Medical Director of the hospital which had earned him the National honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), making him the only CMD so honoured in Nigeria.
Prof Ugboaja has been variously honoured for achieving an unprecedented transformation of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi culminating in the relocation of the hospital to its permanent site.
In a solidarity protest by members of the community, the community chastised the individuals perceived to be working against the project and even declare Curses on them. They reiterated their appreciation to Mr President for the project and assured their full support and cooperation to ensure its smooth takeoff. They further warned the detractors to retrace their steps or incur their wrath.
A press statement made available to the media by Prof BC Nwankwo, Chairman of BOT, the community, after the protest, he urged all to disregard those fighting against the project.
He said: “The Board of Trustees watched with admiration today as our people mobilized themselves and rose in unison against the retrogressive elements and cabals in the town and administered curses on all of them who are bent on keeping the village in the dark.
“The Protest which was at the instance of the Umuogem Ufuma Welfare Association has shown truly that our people are not foolish and averse to development as has been conveyed in the social media by some individuals who have sworn that our people will not see the light of the day.”
Many indigenes of the community who spoke to journalists during the protest expressed happiness about the plan to build an annex of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) in the community.
The Board of trustees of the community also reiterated their support for NAUTH and its CMD, to ensure actualisation of the project.
THE RAZOR had earlier gathered that the federal government plans to begin work on the project soon. The hospital management insisted that their only aim is to ensure that healthcare services is brought closer to communities.
Prof Ugboaja, a visionary has been severally praised for his works at the teaching hospital. He was recently acknowledged by the minister for Health, Prof Ali Pate for being responsible for the construction of the permanent site of the hospital and moving it from its temporary site into the very expensive facility it occupies today, with modern equipment.
