The Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma has inaugurated Jennifer Etuh Medical Centre, Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, commending the foresight and love of humanity exhibited by the late Jennifer which gave rise to the hospital.
The Governor spoke on Wednesday at the commendation service cum formal inauguration of the medical centre in commemoration of the life and legacy of Jennifer Ramatu Etuh 50th posthumous birthday thanksgiving at Umunoha.
He commended the Jennifer Etuh Foundation and particularly, the Chairman, Mr. Thomas Etuh (husband of Jennifer), for choosing Umunoha for the South East slot of the hospital in keeping with Jennifer’s desires, and described the gesture as “the height of generosity.”
He described Mr. Etuh as “a gentleman who has used his God given wealth for service to God and humanity and empowering the indigent,” expressing happiness that, “at the end of the day we still have people who contribute to charity and empower the poor without waiting for the Government.”
“This is generosity, service to God and mankind,” he said and urged other well to do persons in the society to emulate the Etuh family.
He condoled the Etuh family and prayed God to continue to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Governor Uzodimma also had kind words for the Onwuzurike family, particularly Mrs. Tochi Onwuzurike, whose behaviour was instrumental to the building of the medical centre located in Umunoha.
The Governor said, “when you show me your friend, I tell you who you are,” and thanked Mrs. Tochi Onwuzuruike for being a faithful friend to Jennifer.
Governor Uzodimma expressed joy and happiness with the Jennifer Etuh Foundation for the resilience and determination it has shown in sustaining and honouring late Jennifer.
“There is joy in embarking on organised philanthropy. Jennifer Etuh Foundation is one of such.”
In his remarks, Chairman Jennifer Etuh Foundation and husband of Jennifer, Mr. Thomas Etuh, informed that the event was to commemorate the life and legacy of his beloved wife, Jennifer, and to launch the 6th and final Medical Centre established in her honour.
Mr. Etuh said that before his wife’s death, she had requested that a project in her honour be established in Umunoha the hometown of her bosom friend and Sister, Mrs. Tochi Onwuzuruike and her husband, Mr. Charles Onwuzuruike, as she had requested in five other zones in the country as a way of contributing her quota to the health needs of the downtrodden.
He prayed that the hospital will continue to answer Jennifer’s plea, bringing relief and hope to many and sparing them the challenges the wife faced that led to her death in 2020.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, represented by the Chief Medical Director, Federal University Teaching Hospital Owerri, Dr. Kingsley Achigbu said that the inauguration was “in line with the New Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in tandem with the 3R mantra of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma in Imo State.”
He commended the Foundation for her good work towards provision of access to health facility to the rural populace in the six Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, including Imo State and prayed God to continue to sustain the Foundation.
A representative of Umunoha Community and the husband of the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN) commended the Foundation and thanked the members for bringing the health facility to their community and thanked the Governor for coming in person to inaugurate the hospital.
He said that the realisation of the hospital is a product of ‘’honesty, dedication, faithfulness and diligence’’ and assured of the sustenance of the facility.
Ekomaru was in agreement with the view of the traditional institution in his community that the Jennifer Etuh Foundation has brought wealth via health to Umunoha, Imo State and the South East in general.