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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Senate Chief Whip, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the federal, state and local governments to consider it worthwhile investing in ultramodern hospitals like the one built by Governor Nyesom Wike.
He said this would help to curtail the huge foreign exchange expended on medical tourism abroad.
Kalu, who stated this after inspecting the Rivers State Government House Hospital and Administrative Building, yesterday, lauded Governor Wike’s investment in crucial infrastructure.
“All the facilities I have seen here is first class. This is what I cannot even see in Europe. The hospital I have seen, the doctors’ room and the conference centre are something else. I must commend Governor Wike. You see, I am a bi-partisan person. We need to commend anybody who has done a good job. He is Peoples Democratic Party, I am All Progressives Congress.
“I advise other governors, local authorities and national authorities to build hospitals like this. If you know how much we spend on medical tourism, you will pity this country. We are not talking about party, I am talking about conscience and what I have seen. This is fantastic. I have never seen any private hospital in Nigeria or government-owned hospital like I have seen in Rivers’ Government House,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wike has said no government should use COVID-19 as an excuse not to invest in infrastructure development that can foster economic development and prosperity in their state.
He said Rivers State would not join the league of states that hide under the guise of COVID-19 to deny their people basic infrastructure like roads which is universally acknowledged as a major contributor to higher economic productivity, growth and trade.
“COVID-19 cannot be an excuse to any government. COVID-19 is a bad thing, but it has come. It will go, whether we like it or not. But, people will also be alive. Infrastructure must be provided, so you cannot say because of COVID-19, nothing will be done.
“At the time COVID-19 ends, what will the people be facing? Lack of basic infrastructure. So, because of COVID-19, I am not going to be doing anything? I am not a party to that. I will continue to work whether there is COVID-19 or not,” he said.
Wike applauded Kalu for visiting the state to assess what his administration is doing to improve the quality of life of the people.
He said such bi-partisan collaboration was required for the country to move forward.
