The Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo has received financial support of N1million from the Honourable Member representing Ado/Ogbadigbo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Dr Francis Agbo.
Dr Agbo presented the cheque of N1 million to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Innocent Ujah at a brief ceremony in Abuja yesterday.
A statement signed by the Media Adviser to the Honourable Member, Mr Andrew Agbese, noted that the support is in fulfilment of a promise the parliamentarian made to support the university to commence academic activities and function fully as a citadel of learning.
Agbo said he’s happy seeing a senior member of his constituency appointed as Vice-Chancellor of a pioneer university that holds a lot of promise for his constituents and the nation in general.
He said given Ujah’s track record of academic and administrative excellence, his appointment as VC is a crowning glory akin to that of a civil servant becoming a Permanent Secretary or a soldier, becoming a General.
He said, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re a General in the medical profession and I’m happy that you were appointed during my tenure.
“I’m here today because I told you I’m ‘Talknado’ and I want to stand by my words; when I say something, I do it.
“God Almighty has made it possible for me to do it and I don’t joke with that, that’s the legacy I want to leave behind so that when people see my children even when I must have passed on, they will say these are the children of the Honourable Francis Ottah Agbo, your father; was a man of honor and integrity.”
Agbo said from the steps the VC is taking so far to get the university going, Ujah, will attain great heights with the university as a chick that will grow into a big cock is known from the day it is hatched.
The Honourable Member who is also the Chairman, Narcotic Drugs Committee and Spokesman of the Minority Caucus encouraged the VC not to relent but strive to do more so as to lay a solid foundation for the University.
He promised to keep supporting the VC, the university and the Idoma Medical Doctors’ Foundation, saying he considers it imperative to plant seeds on worthy causes.
He said, “And because you’re a man of vision, I saw what you’ve started in collaboration with your colleagues and saw the way the place is shaping up, and I said I want to be part and parcel of that vision.
“I said I want to plant a seed in the Idoma Medical Doctors Foundation and that is partly why I am here today.
“So I am here to congratulate you once more and encourage you for all the steps you have taken towards making sure that the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, assumes its pride of place in Nigeria and beyond as you have envisioned.”
The Honourable Member described the VC as his father, teacher and senior citizen and encouraged him to feel free and approach him for any other assistance or contribution towards the development of the institution.
“I want to encourage you and I’ll always like to support you because in the end that is exactly what it means to be together,” he said and promised to rally round his colleagues in the National Assembly, friends and associates both in Nigeria and abroad to also come and give their contributions to the development of the University.
Agbo lamented the current situation where the whole of Benue South has no resident medical consultant, saying with the coming of the Federal University of Medical Sciences, such challenges would no longer exist and medical services would improve in the entire Zone C.
The federal lawmaker said he sees the University as a catalyst for the development of Idomaland and Benue State as a whole and called for cooperation, synergy and collaboration with the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor, who was highly elated by the gesture thanked the Honourable Member for the support.
Ujah who is also the President of Nigeria Medical Association said, “I want to, on behalf of the Federal University of Health Sciences, the Idoma Medical Doctors Foundation, the people of Okpokwu where I come from appreciate you from the bottom of my heart.”
The VC reminded the Honourable Member that he predicted in 2015 that he was going to win election and represent the people of the Federal Constituency even when he had not met him.
The VC said his prediction was accurate because science is about observation and he observed what Hon. Ottah Agbo was doing even before he became an Honourable Member.
He said, “I looked at your track record, and what you were doing in Bayelsa as Special Adviser and later Chief Press Secretary to His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State. So in 2019, I had no doubt at all that you were going to win the election and you won landslide.
“I’m happy you’ve not only won the election overwhelmingly but you’re impacting on lives of the people by improving their knowledge and skills, that is really what we need in Idomaland and everywhere that development must come. You have set the pace in so many areas especially as I watch you dedicate your 4 -Year salary to orphans, widows as well as your accessibility to your constituents.”
The VC described the Honourable Member as a servant leader who he said does not behave like other politicians who sit in their houses and expect people to visit them but goes out to meet with people personally.
He said leadership is about developing people and that is what the Hon. Ottah Agbo is doing.
The VC said the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Otukpo is the first of its kind in Nigeria and commended President Muhammadu Buhari and former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, Former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Sunday Echono, Professor Ochapa Onazi, Professor Idoko and many other academics for making the University a reality.
He added that the university is established on the basis of excellence for students, lecturers and other staff and not based on sentiments.
The VC said the University is not going to be for Idoma alone as it is a federal university with international standard as it has started developing partnerships internationally while many are keying into it.
The erudite Professor said the University will not only be for the training of doctors as is being assumed as it has departments like Engineering; Water related courses, Nursing; Pharmacy; Medical Laboratory Science Public Health and so on.
He said the University is not going to be a mushroom University but an institution of international repute.
“We want to thank you because you’re a great man and you’ll grow more and more,” he added.
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