By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The Bishop of Amichi Diocese, Anglican Communion and Proprietor of School of Nursing Sciences, Diocesan Hospital Amichi, Rev Ephraim Okechukwu Ikeakor, has said that the Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, was the pillar behind the growth of the college.
He said that the students and the management of the college would remain grateful to Obi for aggressively supporting the institution.
Ikeakor was speaking over the weekend at the maiden convocation ceremony held at the college, wherein Obi was conferred with the Nightingale Award.
The cleric recalled how Obi, as the then Governor of Anambra State, visited the school for the first time.
He said, “Without Peter Obi’s support, we would not be where we are today. He came here to start the journey with us, when this whole environment was still covered by bushes.
“He supported us all the way, and by the time he was leaving office, his administration had committed nothing less than N100 million to our college”.
Ikeakor pointed out that Obi, though no longer occupied any public office, still supports them financially. He said that they would always appreciate Obi for the visible footprints he had made in the school.
In his remarks, Obi said that the health sector of any nation played a critical role in its development.
He recounted how, as the Governor of Anambra State, he was shocked to learn that the state had no accredited health institutions.
“That was a situation we could not accept. We cannot pursue a development in primary healthcare delivery without a single School of Nursing Sciences or Midwifery. I recalled then that as a young student, I learnt that the first nurse and midwife in the South East was produced in Iyi Enu Specialist Hospital. I decided we were going to resuscitate the hospital. After several meetings with my executive team and stakeholders of the hospital, I handed the hospital management a cheque of N50 million. The rest is history!
“So I feel a great sense of satisfaction today as this College of Nursing graduates the first set of students. Those of us who know the story will understand, as the Bishop narrated, that where we are standing today was a thick bush. But with hardwork and honest efforts, the college is telling a success story today.” Obi also appreciated Bishop Ikeakor for doing what he described as a commendable work in the school. He urged the government at different levels, to partner with the church in driving development to the grassroots, describing it as a more effective way of achieving integrated development.