Auchi Kingdom Honours Health Minister Of State, Ehanire To A Grand Reception

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire was recently honoured to a grand reception by the Otaru of Auchi kingdom,  Haliru Momoh, who is the Ikelebe III at his palace in recognition of the Minister’s contribution to installing the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari in the country.

While speaking at the event, Dr. Ehanire commended President Buhari for appreciating his sterling qualities by appointing him to work in his cabinet as Minister of State for Health, lamenting the dilapidating status of the General Hospital in Auchi and describing it a dead end since there are no Doctors and Nurses there. He appealed to the Federal Government to consider resuscitating all hospitals in Edo North as they are all in very bad conditions.

The Minister also said that the Federal Government is ready to synergise and collaborate with States, Local Governments and all stakeholders in the health sector, so as to revive the health system, adding that no primary, secondary or tertiary hospital in Edo North would be neglected. He further disclosed that there would soon be a meeting of all Commissioners of Health to deliberate on the deteriorating state of health care services in the country and the way forward. He harped on the need to maintain close relationship with neighbouring kings, to foster better unity and tolerance amongst the communities.

In his remarks during a courtesy call on the Crown Prince, Eheneden Erediauwa (Ediaken N’uselu), who is the heir apparent to Benin throne, the Minister urged the Crown Prince to ensure unity amongst his people as this will position the citizens of Delta State for meaningful economic development. He emphasised the need for monarchs to maintain social norms/values and create political awareness among his subjects.

Speaking at the Coronation Ceremony of the 20th Olu of Warri which held at Ijala – the ancestral home of the Itsekiris, Ikenwoli Gbemisi Emiko (Prince) pledged to pursue ideas and ideals for the benefit of the Itsekiris, just as they pledge their loyalty and affection to him as their king. He also appealed to the Itsekiris to build bridges across real and imagined ethnic divide, in order to foster peaceful co-existence guided by the spirit of enlightened self – interest.

Ikenwoli Gbemisi Emiko further decried the lack of basic infrastructures and chronic position of the roads in the state, saying a look at the situation of the roads in the State will reveal need for reversal in relation to managing the nation’s natural wealth. He called for the provision of avenues where the Nigerian Constitution will guarantee that each Local Government Area where natural resources are derived from should collect a specified share of the natural resources, accruable directly as revenue to the states they belong. [FMH]