Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has attributed the deterioration of health institutions across Nigeria to leadership failure during an unscheduled visit to the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozala, Enugu State on Friday.
Obi's visit came in response to a letter from the faculty's re-accreditation fundraising committee requesting financial support. After confirming the authenticity of the request with university authorities, he decided to assess the situation firsthand.
During his visit, the former Anambra State Governor presented a cheque of N15 million to the students through Boston Chukwuemeka (Jnr), chairman of the re-accreditation fundraising committee, and Comrade Daniel Ogba, president of the University of Nigeria Dental Students Association.
"I was a student at UNN, and as a student of UNN, President Shehu Shagari visited Nsukka then and slept in Nsukka. During that visit, Shagari interacted with the students who told him what they needed. You are the ones that need the facilities in the University, not the lecturers. Lecturers are your best friends," Obi told the students.
He commended the students for their perseverance despite inadequate facilities and support, noting that he had planned to visit earlier but postponed due to the national mourning period for former President Muhammadu Buhari, which ended on Thursday, August 16.
"I didn't even tell the provost that I was coming because I just wanted to make the visit unofficial to come and see the situation on ground. I am a Lion myself, I was a student at the UNN, so I don't need any permission before I can come," he explained.
Drawing from his experiences as an alumnus of prestigious institutions including Oxford University, Harvard, and Cambridge, Obi expressed concern over the level of decay at UNTH, an institution that has produced numerous impactful professionals both nationally and globally.
The Labour Party flagbearer highlighted what he described as misplaced priorities in national spending, pointing out that approximately N6 billion was allocated for constructing legislators' parking lots at the National Assembly while health institutions continue to deteriorate.
"Issues of health are the most important aspect of human existence," Obi emphasized, lamenting that the country's leadership has consistently failed to give the healthcare sector the attention it deserves.
In addition to his personal donation, Obi promised to solicit support from other well-meaning individuals to assist the faculty in meeting its re-accreditation requirements.
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