From Emmanuel Uzor, Awka
Presidential candidate of Labour Party LP and former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi has thrown his weight behind japa syndrome among Nurses and other health workers in the country.
Obi stated this while making a donation of N20million to St Charles Borromeo College of Nursing and college of midwifery in Onitsha on Monday
Obi who donated N10million each to both the midwifery and nursing departments, said that education and health are the currencies with which people will transact in the future.
He said Nigeria has over 200million people, and that there is no need to restrict people from travelling out of the country for greener pastures, rather Nigeria should concentrate on training more people, saying that foreign remittances can be a form of revenue for the country
“What we are doing is not charity, we are rather investing in you. We need to invest in knowledge and health because it is the future. Investing in you will ensure your greatness. Your profession is lucrative, you’re being looked for all over the world.
“I told Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria that they should stop denying anybody from leaving Nigeria for greener pastures. We have 200 million people, let us train them. Let those who want go out go and those who want to stay should stay. Diaspora remittance is also a form of revenue generation.
“If you see me going round trying to donate, it is not anything but because we want to make life better for you all. I came here so I can donate to you. My children will not attend that university, and I can sit down and use the money to add more chieftaincy to my name, but that is not be how to develop the future.
In his response, the Medical Coordinator of Onitsha Archdiocese, Rev Fr. Basil Ekwunife thanked the former governor for his generousity to the hospital and school.
Obi had earlier made a donation of N50m to the Shanahan University, a new Catholic University that resumed accademic activities in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Ends