The Chancellor and Proprietor of Gregory University Uturu, (GUU), Prof Gregory Ibe on Wednesday paid a surprised visit to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, Abia State where he paid hospital bills of 18 indigent patients at the hospital.
The patients, some of whom have been discharged for over one year, but are still in the hospital because of lack of funds to pay their bills, were asked to go home following the intervention of the university administrator on their matter.
Speaking while handing over the money to offset the bills to the Chief Medical Director of FMC, Umuahia, Prof Azubuike Onyebuchi, Prof Ibe who is also the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), explained that as a man who had a humbly beginning, it pains him whenever he sees some indigent people suffer untold hardship after receiving treatment in hospital and are made to stay back in the hospital because of lack funds to pay their bills.
The university don who could not disclosed the amount being expended, however maintained that it runs into several millions of naira. He assured that if elected as governor of Abia State in 2023, he will introduce a policy that will enable indigent Abians to access medical facilities in the state free of charge.
The Abia State chairman of APGA, Rev Augustine Ehiemere and the lawmaker representing Aba South in the State House of Assembly, Obinna Ichita who also spoke at the event, noted that benefactor has severally assisted the indigent in the society, citing his numerous scholarship programmes and donations of educational materials as proof of philanthropic gestures.
In his remarks, the Prof Onyebuchi commended the Prof Ibe for coming out strong to help the less privileged in the society and described his gesture a way of showing appreciation to the society and God who gave him the wealth.
Two of the beneficiaries, Mrs Chinyere Nwankwo and Mrs Comfort Okoro thanked the APGA candidate for helping them out in their moments of needs. Said Mrs Nwankwo: “at last we’ll be going home with our debts cleared, I thank God and Prof Ibe for doing this for us; we’ll remain grateful”.
Addressing pensioners and officers of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in two separate meetings, the Gregory University Chancellor informed them that he will provide some good welfare packages if elected governor in 2023.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
