The Abia State Government, in collaboration with the Abia State Diaspora Commission, has commenced the Abia State Global Medical Mission 2025, a week-long initiative providing surgeries and medical consultations across five designated centres in the state.
The medical mission, which ends today (Friday), is taking place at Abia Specialist Hospital, Aba Road, Umuahia; Uzuakoli Methodist Hospital, Seventh Day Adventist Hospital, Ogbor Hill, Aba, Ahiaeke PHC, and Okoko Item Health Centre.
Speaking at the Abia State Specialist Hospital, Umuahia, after visiting some outreach centres on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Health, Prof Enoch Uche, said Governor Alex Otti launched the initiative as part of his transformative agenda.
“This is part of His Excellency’s roadmap to healthcare equity in Abia State, which is a trilogy of projects that have been carefully planned and implemented to ensure that people in Abia, irrespective of where they live, down to the last mile, are able to access the highest quality of healthcare,” Prof Uche said.
He added, “The idea is that His Excellency believes that taking health care directly to the people saves healthcare costs and ensures that high-quality healthcare is delivered at the grassroots.”
Prof Uche disclosed that the outreach comprised three components: free medical consultations, collaboration with global health organisations, and health insurance.
“In this programme, we also have a training aspect, where we are training frontline healthcare workers on basic life support and advanced cardiovascular life support.
“This training ensures our healthcare workers are equipped with the skills required to save lives,” he explained.
The commissioner lauded the governor’s commitment to healthcare delivery, noting that he was recently recognised as the top performer in primary healthcare in the Southeast zone and among the six top-performing governors in the country.
He said the outreach would help reduce quackery, as he urged residents to take advantage of the services provided.
The Chairman of the Abia State Diaspora Commission, Okechukwu Agbara, commended the collaboration with the governor to deliver free, quality medical services across the state.
“This mission is a success. Surgeries are ongoing, including eye surgeries at SDA Hospital, with about 150 procedures daily. Abia State is becoming a source of pride,” Agbara said.
He added, “It is our responsibility in the diaspora to facilitate such development and support Governor Otti’s efforts.
“The state recently won the NGF award, amounting to $500,000, and we will ensure Abia receives the necessary diaspora investment, healthcare, and connections.”
Agbara also thanked the doctors volunteering for the mission, both from the diaspora and locally, as well as the members of the Diaspora Commission.
Some medical personnel, including Dr Chinedu Nwaru and Dr Goodluck Esiwoke, highlighted the high volume of surgeries and expressed appreciation for the partnership with the state government.
Beneficiaries of the outreach, including Nnenna Chibuzor, whose son underwent hernia surgery, Izuchukwu Chinedu, Mr Onyendi Clement, and Mr Ikechukwu Onyebuchi, expressed gratitude for the services provided.
The Member, representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has enjoined his Constituents and Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, patience, humility and love for humanity as exemplified by Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the real essence of Easter Celebration.
In a statement personally signed by the Legislator, he called on his Constituents and the Christian Community in Nigeria to demonstrate Christ-like virtues of love for humanity, hope for a better future, peaceful and harmonious disposition in their dealings with one another for a United Ukwa Federal Constituency and indeed Nigeria, where brotherly love reigns amongst Citizens.
He maintained that despite the prevailing temporary economic difficulties; there is light at the end of the tunnel and strong hope for a better, improved and secured economy within a short period of time.
Hon. Nkwonta, wished everyone a hitch free and joyous Easter Celebration!
The Rivers State Police Command has declared that the tragic death of a 26-year-old lady, Peace Moses, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, was not reported in any of its divisions or units across the state.
Peace was knocked down last Monday evening by a convoy of about 15 fast-moving vehicles around Omega Junction along Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt.
She was returning from an evening service at her church, Love Channel Christian Centre, also located along Ada-George Road, when the tragic incident occurred.
Last Thursday, a candlelight procession was organised in her honour by her friends and neighbours.
Speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), wondered why neighbours could not report the incident to the Police.
Iringe-Koko stated that even the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Rumuepirikom Police Division was unaware of the tragic incident.
“Probably they didn’t report any such incident to the Police Station because the DPO in charge of that area is asking me where and when the incident occurred.
See, if they don’t report cases to the Police, how would the Police know? We are not magicians. I just spoke with the DPO, and she said she is not aware of anything like that.
“Somebody needs to report or anyhow, information needs to get through so that we too will get it,” she said.
But reacting to the claim by the Police, a human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, said that, with or without a report on the tragic incident, the Police are duty-bound to investigate the matter.
Nsirimovu said: “The duty of the Nigerian police is to secure lives and properties, and where a life has been lost in such grievous circumstances, the police have a duty to investigate the matter on the basis of their mandate and the public need to prevent such a menace to human life.
“The Police have a duty to investigate the matter, with or without a petition.”
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, on Sunday said many Nigerians might seek a constitutional amendment to allow President Bola Tinubu to remain in office beyond two terms.
The monarch, in a congratulatory message by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Alli, to celebrate Tinubu’s 74th birthday, described the President as a decisive leader who has laid a renewed foundation of hope for the country.
“Many Nigerians may beg for a constitutional review for Tinubu to spend more than two terms in office. He is a leader who knows what he is doing,” he said.
Oluwo said the President had distinguished himself through what he described as a firm campaign against illegalities that had stalled the country’s economic growth.
He added that the President’s administrative prowess had driven notable gains, citing improvements in the naira, a rise in foreign reserves from about $1bn to between $49.5bn and $50.45bn as of late February/March 2026, and strengthened economic indices.
The monarch attributed the gains to structural reforms, including exchange rate unification, increased oil output and higher foreign investment inflows.
Oluwo also commended Tinubu for granting local government autonomy, increasing allocations to states, expanding road infrastructure and improving palliative distribution at the grassroots.
According to him, past leaders attempted similar economic reforms but were overwhelmed by public and political pressure.
He said only a capable leader could implement tough but necessary decisions to reposition the economy.
Oluwo added that the President’s policies had begun to impact the standard of living, noting that the next phase would be stability.
He said, “You are not yet a capable leader until you make decisions and stand by them. Many past presidents attempted to remove obstacles to economic prosperity but were overrun by public outcries. Tinubu has demonstrated uncommon leadership through reforms.
“Nigeria’s foreign reserves have increased to over $49.5bn from about $1bn. Local government autonomy is taking effect, states earn more, and road projects, including Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry, are ongoing.”