Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti has congratulated his Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Father Christian Anokwuru on his book launch as well as his decision to deploy the proceeds from the launch to establish a geriatric village to improve the well-being and healthcare of the elderly.
The Governor was speaking at the JAAC Building Secretariat during the launch of a book titled “Nature and Nurture: Beyond Autobiography”, written by Rev. Father Christian Uche Anokwuru.
The Governor expressed his appreciation of the fact that Rev. Father Anokwuru is not embarking on the launch for personal gain, but would be deploying the proceeds into the building of a Geriatric village.
“So, I want to congratulate Father Anokwuru for the courage, the resilience, and the hard work to complete the book.
“But, I can assure you, because you have also integrated a healthcare centre in the home, it’s already a success, Gov. Otti stated.
Governor Otti pledged to partner Rev. father Anokwuru in the establishment and running of the geriatric village under a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement to ensure that the project is realised and sustained.
The State Chief Executive directed the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix to work with Rev. Father Anokwuru and come up with a workable model that would lead to the partnership.
“She should sit down with Father Anokwuru. I don’t think, as a government, we should sit by and watch him do this alone.
“So, I’m looking at a partnership whereby the government would engage with him (Father Anokwuru) and partly own this and support it financially.
“The details will have to be worked out at his own pleasure. But I believe that it is important that he remains in the centre of the village as a public-private partnership so that it will work. The people who will use the centre are also our people.
“A lot of money will need to go in. You need to buy drugs. These are people who can’t pay you. So, the government needs to get involved,” Gov. Otti stated.
Also speaking, the Co-Chairman of the occasion and member representing Isialangwa North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe encouraged all to support the project, describing it as an all-important project.
In their goodwill messages, former Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and the Chairman, Board of Greater Aba Development Authority, Ide John Udeagbala among others appreciated the passion of Father Anokwuru and his commitment to helping humanity and pledged their support to his initiative. Dr Ogah seized the opportunity to appreciate Governor Otti for what he is doing in the State, saying that, “Light has come to Abia State, only people who are made of darkness will deny it.”
In his address, the author and Special Adviser to the Governor on Policies and Interventions, Rev. Father Christian Anokwuru said that various events that happened to him shaped his life and he put them together in a book.
He added that, he became an advocate of good governance before 2013 when, he got to know Dr. Alex Otti, whose dreams and aspirations in governance are in line with his own, saying that Abians have seen good governance under Governor Otti. He assured that he would use the proceeds of the book launch to build a geriatric village to cater for the well-being and healthcare needs of the aged.
Also, the Chairman, Back to the Hero’s Past Charity Organisation and geriatric project, Professor Charles Chilekezi said that Father Anokwuru’s project “speaks directly to the heart of our society – the urgent and sacred duty of caring for our elderly.
He reassured that the entire proceeds would be channelled to the building of the geriatric village.
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The event which featured the unveiling of the book and prototype of the geriatric village by the Governor and other stakeholders, saw Professor Mike Okoro review the book while the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly and his colleagues, the SSG and members of the State Executive Council, the clergy, traditional rulers, students among many others were present at the event.
