Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
For the people of Aduku, Sagbama Local Government, Bayelsa State, it is disheartening that they would be neglected and marginalised to the extent that they would need to travel miles to get medical attention. The community is therefore in dire need of a well equipped and staffed health-care facility.
This is because the health facility built by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2013 is lying fallow without medical and health personnel. The predicament came to the fore during the presentation of hospital equipment by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to the community.
The coordinator, South-South of the Shippers Council, Mr Ogor Izah, said the presentation was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the council: “The NSC is a parastatal under the Ministry of Transportation and the economic regulator of the Niger Port. Most importantly in line with the CSR initiatives of the council where we are suppose to give back to the environment where we operate.
“We are supposed to over a time identify some communities we can assist. The government cannot do everything. And we were able to identify Aduku community for us to present a little token to assist the health care. Health is very important.
“Health is wealth. If you are not well you cannot go and fish and farm. This was why Nigerian Shippers looked at that and said we should come here.”
Aduku’s monarch, Emmanuel Seizeimor Emberro, said: “I am happy for the items that have been sent and I pray for NSC. The coordinator said a little drop of water makes a mighty ocean. So the drop that you have dropped let it continue to be a mighty ocean for us.
“This is a community, very large you may think it is just this one, but if you go down inside the crowd is there. We are farmers that is our major occupation farming. While we pray for MDGs to come and assist us with this structure, this structure you see here is not the only structure that is supposed to be there.
“The MDG is supposed to build this structure build doctors quarters and they are supposed to sink a borehole and give us water for the health centre. But they only built this structure in the Nigerian way and as far as we are concerned, we thank them for what they have done.
“They should help us to see that staff quarters is built to enable us see that nurses and other health workers stay here. Then the visiting doctors that come either from Odi or Sagbama will at least have a place to rest if he or she wants to stay behind because of the problems he may have.
“Also patients that he might want to see them overnight so that at least they would have a comfortable place to rest. I plead to you people to continue to help us in the best way you can.”
Chairman, Aduku Community Development Committee, Obosi Fungemowe, said: “I am pleased to say, not just pleased but overwhelmed with joy. The health centre was built by MDG but it was just the structure nothing else. Now that Shippers Council has brought these things here, the community is overwhelmed with joy and that our health concerns have received attention. There is a saying that health brings wealth. You have not just brought health you have also brought wealth.
“Aduku is a strategic community which means other communities will benefit from the health care centre. The community will protect all the equipment. There are other neighbouring communities around us. Not only Aduku people will be enjoying this facility, we have about six neighbouring communities that will be enjoying this facility as well.
“So, on behalf of these communities too we are also thanking the NSC for a job well done.
“We as a community will try our possible best to see that these things are put into maximum use. We will protect them by all means. I will advice other organisations to emulate the gesture of the NSC.”