Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Enugu State chapter, has commended the Association of Nsukka Professors and friends of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for keeping faith with the governor’s long-held tradition of celebrating his birthday by paying hospital bills of indigent patients in the state and other humanitarian gestures, on behalf of the governor.
The professors in collaboration with friends of Governor Ugwuanyi, voluntarily paid over N27.3 million as hospital bills of discharged indigent patients in both federal and state-owned health institutions in Enugu State as well as faith-based organisations to commemorate the governor’s 57th birthday.
President of the professors association, Osita Okanya, said N16,950,000 was paid as medical bills of discharged indigent patients in University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku/Ozalla; N4,900,000 at Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu; N2,405,000 at ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu; N1,000,000 at Bishop Shanahan Hospital Nsukka and N2,062,000 at Faith Foundation Hospital, Nsukka, totalling over N27.3 million.
Reacting to the development, state Chairman of CAN, Rev. Emmanuel Ositadinma Edeh, said the humanitarian gesture displayed by the university dons and friends of Ugwuanyi, was rare, commendable and true reflection of the governor’s governance philosophy as a peaceful, humble, compassionate and devout Christian “who always identifies with the elderly, orphans, motherless babies, widows, less privileged and the sick ones in different hospitals, during his birthday celebration and other festive periods.”
Edeh said the professors and friends of Governor Ugwuanyi, who equally organised a symposium in his honour “simply demonstrated to the entire world that they have learnt so many good lessons from Ugwuanyi, both from his words and deeds.”