The Unubiko Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has constructed a Primary Healthcare Centre and 30 housing units for indigent residents of Ndi Okereke Abam community in Arochukwu Local Government Area, Abia State.
Speaking during the inauguration and handover ceremony on Friday, the foundation’s founder, Chief James Ume, said the projects were initiated to improve welfare and healthcare access for vulnerable community members locally.
Ume, a native of the community, said the initiative was also driven by his desire to support Governor Alex Otti’s development agenda and complement ongoing government interventions across Abia State wide.
He commended the governor for infrastructural projects across the state, particularly the Abam–Arochukwu Road, and urged residents to sustain support for the administration to ensure delivery of democratic dividends to citizens.
Governor Otti said the donated Primary Healthcare Centre aligns with his administration’s agenda to strengthen the health sector and expand access to quality, affordable healthcare services for rural communities across Abia.
The governor, represented by Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu, said the project supports efforts to create an enabling environment through effective Public-Private Partnerships for sustainable development in Abia.
He urged beneficiaries of the facilities, especially recipients of the 30 housing units, to take ownership, protect public assets and ensure proper maintenance for long-term community benefits and shared collective prosperity.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Uche, commended the quality of the facility, noting it is equipped with modern wards, oxygen systems, incubators, an ultramodern laboratory and family planning services for patients.
Uche said the centre is among five Primary Healthcare Centres in Abam selected for retrofitting under Project Ekwueme, a state initiative to revitalise and functionalise PHCs for improved grassroots healthcare delivery.
He called on individuals and stakeholders to support grassroots enrolment into the informal sector health insurance scheme, stressing that achieving universal health coverage requires collective responsibility beyond government efforts and policies.
Community members welcomed the projects, saying the Primary Healthcare Centre would improve access to quality services, reduce costs and hardship, and discourage reliance on unregulated medical alternatives within the rural area.
The foundation also constructed a church hall for the Presbyterian Church in Idima Abam community, further supporting social development in Arochukwu LGA, Abia State.