Otti Pledges State Partnership with Cleric to Establish Geriatric Village in AbiaEmmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State is set to get a geriatric village to cater for the welfare of the elderly citizens, following Governor Alex Otti’s decision to involve government in the project conceived by Rev Fr. Christian Uche Anokwuru.

Otti’s interest in the geriatric project was sparked by a statement from the Catholic priest, who is also the Governor’s Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions.

Anokwuru declared at the launch of his book, “Nature and Nurture: Beyond Autobiography” in Umuahia, weekend, that he would plough the proceeds into setting up a geriatric village.

Otti, who was at the book launch, said he was impressed that Fr. Anokwuru was not launching his book for personal gains but for the well-being and healthcare of the elderly.

He congratulated the author “for the courage, the resilience, and the hard work (he put in) to complete the book”, adding that the book is “already a success” because of Anokwuru’s good intention to build a healthcare facility for the elderly.
Governor Otti therefore pledged that his government would partner Rev. Father Anokwuru to realise and sustain the proposed geriatric village project.
“I don’t think, as a government, we should sit by and watch him do this alone. The people who will use the centre are also our people.
“So, I’m looking at a partnership whereby the government would engage with him (Fr. Anokwuru) and partly own this and support it financially,” Otti said.
He stated that the establishment and running of the geriatric village would be carried out under a public-private-partnership, explaining that “government needs to get involved” as the project would require “a lot of money”.
According to him, the beneficiaries of the facility are people who can’t repay for their needs hence government has to intervene and ensure the realisation of the project and provision of drugs.
To walk his talk, Otti immediately directed the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix to liaise with Fr. Anokwuru work out the modality of the partnership.

He said that the details of the partnership would be worked out in such a way that the person who conceived the idea of a geriatric village “remains in the centre” of the PPP “so that it will work”.
The Co-Chairman of the book launch, Hon Ginger Onwusibe, who represents Isialangwa North/South Federal Constituency called for massive support for the establishment of a geriatric village, describing it as “an all-important project”.
In his goodwill message, former Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and the Chairman, Board of Greater Aba Development Authority(GADA), Ide John Udeagbala, commended Rev Fr. Anokwuru for his commitment to humanitarian works.
Ogah also lauded Governor Otti for the good works he has been doing in Abia since the inception of his administration, noting that “Light has come to Abia State, (and) only people who are made of darkness will deny it.”
The author had earlier in his address said that various events that happened to him all contributed in shaping his life and he decided to put them together in a book.
He recalled how he became an advocate of good governance before 2013 when he got to know Alex Otti, saying that his dreams and aspirations in governance aligned with his own idea and expectations.
Anokwuru insisted that under the leadership of Governor Otti, Abians have seen good governance, adding that the proceeds of the book launch would be used to build a geriatric village to cater for the well-being and healthcare needs of the aged.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Back to the Hero’s Past Charity Organisation and Geriatric Project, Professor Charles Chilekezi said that Fr. Anokwuru’s project “speaks directly to the heart of our society”.
He said that the society must rise up to “the urgent and sacred duty of caring for our elderly”.