4 hours ago
2
Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election, has lamented the inadequate healthcare institutions in Nigeria.
DAILY POST reports that Obi made the remarks shortly after donating N15 million to St. Philomena College of Nursing, Benin City, Edo State.
Obi said the donation was part of his contribution to the development of healthcare institutions in the country.
He, however, stated that he preferred donating to support humanity rather than giving money to buy votes.
While noting that a country like Indonesia has over 90 percent health insurance coverage for its citizens, he said the reverse is the case in Nigeria.
According to him, “We are investing in you for our own better living. We’re not dashing you anything. The investment we give you will contribute to a better society.
“Nigeria is a country where, if you go to all the villages around, there is no primary healthcare. If I go to another country comparable to Nigeria, called Indonesia, they have over 90 percent medical insurance coverage.
“Every village in Indonesia has a primary healthcare facility manned by at least two to three nurses. Doctors come every other day, so they have proper care. We don’t have that here in Nigeria.
“I’ve heard people say we have a lot of nursing schools. I say we don’t have enough because all our communities don’t have functional primary healthcare. Nurses are needed all over the world. It’s one of those rare commodities that are needed everywhere,” he added.
He said the donation was part of his support for the health training institution and to ensure that the country cares for its citizens.
Obi noted that healthcare remains the most important responsibility a nation has toward its citizens.
He, however, dispelled speculation that his support for health institutions was politically motivated.
“I’ve always been involved with care, even before I entered politics, and I want people to know that. As a private citizen, I was in Afghanistan when things were difficult there. I was in Rwanda as a sitting governor.
“I went to President Jonathan to seek permission to go to Haiti when they had an earthquake because I wanted to help where things were difficult. So this has nothing to do with politics, and I don’t make it political.
“I go around. Everywhere I go, they don’t even vote. I can tell you this: I go to over 60 nursing schools annually. I don’t know any other politician doing that.
“The management of this institution didn’t invite me. The Reverend Father didn’t ask me to come here. I chose to come because we need to invest in the future of these children for our own future.
“If it were politics, I would have given the money to politicians to vote for me. But I’ve said I don’t want to give people money to vote for me because I’m not going there to take their money. I want to use money for what money is meant for.
“This is what money is meant for, not to buy votes. The essence of life is that God created us and, by His grace, gave us the opportunity to continue contributing to a better society.
“Investing in this is building a better society for everybody. Society must care for everybody. That is why you’ve always seen me campaign and say all I want is a society where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” he stated.
Peter Obi decry inadequate healthcare institutions in Nigeria
