ALIF Invests N2.23bn in 62-Bed Medical Centre to Boost Healthcare in Edo CommunitySunday Ehigiator

Industrialist and philanthropist, Chief (Dr.) Leemon Ikpea, through the Agbonjagwe Leemon Ikpea Foundation (ALIF), has invested approximately N2.23 billion in the construction and equipping of a 62-bed medical centre in Ewatto, Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State, in a move aimed at improving access to quality healthcare in the community and its environs.

The facility, named the ‘Chief (Dr.) Leemon Ikpea CON Medical Centre’, was commissioned ratly this week, with the founder describing it as a legacy project dedicated to preserving human lives, improving community welfare and ensuring that access to healthcare is not determined by geographical location or economic circumstances.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Ikpea said the decision to establish the medical centre was informed by the difficulties residents of Ewatto and neighbouring communities faced in accessing functional healthcare facilities.

He noted that patients in the area had often been compelled to travel considerable distances to obtain medical attention, sometimes at significant cost and with potentially serious consequences during emergencies.

“It was against this background that I conceived the idea of establishing this Medical Centre. The objective is straightforward: to provide accessible, functional and quality healthcare services to the people of Ewatto in Esan South East Local Government Area, and neighbouring towns and villages.”

According to him, the facility is designed to serve not only Ewatto but also surrounding communities requiring medical attention, thereby bringing essential healthcare services closer to residents.

Ikpea said the investment, valued at N2,227,300,000, represented more than expenditure on buildings and medical equipment, describing it as an investment in human life, dignity and the future of the community.

“I firmly believe that one of the most meaningful legacies any individual can leave behind is an institution that continues to improve and preserve human lives long after the individual is gone. It is my sincere hope that this Medical Centre will become such a legacy,” he said.

The philanthropist emphasised that the project was conceived to complement government efforts rather than replace the responsibilities of public authorities in providing healthcare infrastructure and essential medical services.

He said the scale of Nigeria’s healthcare needs required contributions from individuals, foundations, corporate organisations, development partners and communities alongside government interventions.

“Healthcare delivery is a collective responsibility,” Ikpea said, adding that the centre was intended to become a valuable partner to the federal and Edo State governments in expanding access to affordable and quality healthcare.

He also stressed that the long-term value of the investment would depend on the centre’s effective management, maintenance, staffing and continued availability of appropriate medical equipment.

According to him, the commitment extends beyond commissioning the facility to ensuring that it remains functional and capable of meeting the needs of patients.

“Our responsibility does not end with commissioning this facility. The real test begins after today,” he said.

He expressed the hope that the centre would provide opportunities for medical and healthcare professionals to work, train and contribute to the development of healthcare delivery in the area.

Ikpea said the ultimate objective was to establish a facility where mothers could receive timely medical attention, children could access appropriate treatment, elderly residents could obtain care without unnecessary travel and emergency cases could receive prompt attention.

He called on residents of Ewatto and neighbouring communities to take ownership of the facility, protect its equipment, maintain its environment and respect the medical professionals who would work there.

“I therefore urge everyone to regard it as a community asset, a centre of hope and an institution that must be protected and preserved for generations to come,” he said.

He also expressed his willingness to collaborate with government agencies, development partners, medical institutions and other organisations capable of supporting the centre’s growth and sustainability.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo; the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate; government officials, legislators, traditional rulers, community leaders and other dignitaries.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ALIF, Hon. Matthew Egbadon, described the medical centre as a significant addition to the foundation’s interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of communities.

Egbadon said the foundation’s work was guided by the belief that meaningful philanthropy should respond to human needs and produce lasting outcomes.

He acknowledged Ikpea as the foundation’s founder and sole financier, commending his commitment to translating personal resources into programmes and initiatives that benefit society.

According to him, the establishment of ALIF provided an institutional framework for the philanthropist’s vision, enabling its objectives to be pursued through organised programmes, governance structures and sustained interventions.

He said the foundation’s activities in education, social welfare, skills development and community development reflected its broader commitment to empowerment, self-reliance and improved living conditions.

Egbadon also called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, private citizens, philanthropic foundations, businesses and community organisations to address development challenges.

He maintained that partnerships built on transparency, mutual respect and shared objectives could deliver more sustainable benefits to communities.