Imo Health Centre Building Owner Weeps Over Abandonment, Vows To Eject Workers

By Sampson Uhuegbu, Owerri

Mr. Eugene Njoku from Umuduruegwelle Autonomous Community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, has vowed to take over his delapidated building from the community’s Health Centre over Government’s abandonment.

Njoku, who was spotted while clearing the bushes that have overtaken the Health Centre premises, told our Correspondent that in far back year 2003, the community pleaded on him to offer them his building which according to him, to be used as a Health Centre in order to facilitate their request for autonomy.

He said, he gave his house to the community for that purpose and however regretted that since then the building had been abandoned by the community and government.

“This is my first labour. I want to take back my house to renovate it myself and live there with my children. As they could not maintain it for me”

“I was residing in Edo State, but now that am in the village, my house should be given back to me”, he said.

An indegene of the community, who gave her name as Mrs. Caroline Iwu, disclosed to our Correspondent that pregnant women in the area had resorted to going private hospitals for atenental and child delivery.

“Nurses working in this Health Center have stopped coming to work for many months. You can see how bushy the environment is”.

In an interview with the Traditional ruler of Umuduruegwelle Autonomous Community, His Royal Highness, Eze Daniel Emereonye, explained that in the year 2004, the community pleaded on the house owner, Mr Njoku to give the building to the community.

The Monarch said Umudurugwelle had made several applications to the State Government in order to come to their aid but according to him, all to no avail.

“He left his house for our Community to use as Health Center for eighteen (18) years but unfortunately, all our self efforts to upgrade it had been fruitless.”

Eze Emereonye therefore appealed to the Imo Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma to come the aid of the community by giving the health centre a facelift.

Efforts made to reach any staff of the Health Centre proofed abortive as they were said have travelled as a the time of filing this reports.