By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
In commemoration of the 2024 Army Day, soldiers from the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in collaboration with Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association have conducted a free medical outreach in Edeoha community, Upata kingdom, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In the course of the exercise, the army medical team diagnosed and treated scores of beneficiaries including children, youths and the elderly from the community who gathered at the Upata Civil Centre, Edeoha community, venue of the exercise on Friday.
Addressing the people on the importance of the initiative, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander Joint Task Force (South-South) Operation Delta Safe, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, said the exercise was a gesture of appreciation to the people for their collaboration and support to the operating in their domains.
Major General Abdussalam, who was represented by the Commander 6 Division Garrison, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Edet Effiong, emphasised that the army would continue to do everything within its powers in tandem with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to protect the law abiding citizens from militancy, sabotage and other criminal activities to create a peaceful atmosphere for social economic activities to strive.
Abdussalam said: “In overcoming these security challenges, the Nigerian Army needs communities in a whole of society approach, hence the Nigerian Army in identifying with our host communities is conducting this free medical outreach to further cement the already existing synergy.
“Let me reiterate that the Nigerian Army will continue to do everything humanly possible in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to protect the citizens from militancy, sabotage and other criminal activities in order to create a peaceful atmosphere for social economic activities to strive.
“Similarly, the Nigerian Army will continue to foster civil-military cooperation with host communities in order to extend the existing friendship and trust
“The ability of the Nigerian Army to protect the citizens largely depends on the assistance that is rendered to the Army by way of providing actionable information on bad elements residing amongst them.”
Responding, the king of Upata kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Felix Ekine Otuwarikpo, Eze Igbu Upata III, after welcoming the soldiers to his kingdom, appealed to the General Officer Commanding 6 Division to allow his kinsmen, especially the elderly access the 5 battalion Medical Registry System at Elele barracks, in Ikwerre LGA for treatment, assuring that were willing to enter into a retainership agreement with the management of the facility.
He said, “Just last week, when your people were here with us while we were holding our monthly traditional council meeting, in the course of that meeting, we approved a committee to take care of the aged, especially those from 70 years and above in Upata kingdom. We directed that committee to identify a very good hospital within Ahoada, so that the Upata Traditional Council will go into retainership with such hospital to take care of our people aged 70 and above.
“With this collaboration with the Nigerian Army, may I use this opportunity to appeal to the General Officer Commanding 6 Division to allow us to use the 5 battalion MRS (Medical Registry System) at Elele to treat our people in Upata kingdom.
“We are ready to enter into a retainership agreement and the traditional council will make regular payments for any patient that would be treated there.
“The General Officer Commanding is a good friend of Upata people and we believe he will not hesitate to approve this request of the Upata people.
King Otuwarikpo, boasted that his kingdom was one of the most peaceful in the country consequent upon the sensitisation and mopping up of arms from repentant cultists in the area.
“Upata kingdom is safe, I said so because in 2019, this kingdom midwifed the traditional amnesty in Rivers State, where 334 cultists were disarmed and their weapons handed over to the Rivers State government under former Governor Nyesom Wike.
“We visited all the camps in and outside Ahoada East and West to discuss with our children and they willingly surrendered and we handed over the weapons to government and that is why today Upata is very safe.
“We will like to assure you that this kingdom does not tolerate criminals, we don’t have any hiding place for criminals in Upata kingdom and our people across our communities are well mobilised to provide credible intelligence that will assist officers in the field to tackle any security challenge within our environment.”
Earlier, Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mrs. Adaeze Oreh who was represented by Dr. Nwachukwu Vincent, urged beneficiaries of the medical intervention that may be referred to more equipped hospitals not to hesitate in visiting any government hospital near them, stressing that the state government had since launched a free medical programme for infants, pregnant women and the elderly in the state.
She also thanked the Army for the laudable initiative and for their sacrifices in protecting the territorial integrity of the country.
“First and foremost, it is worthy of note the sacrifices the Nigerian Army have been making to safeguard the territorial integrity of this country, you have lost your men in the battlefield, may the souls of those departed rest in peace on Jesus name.
“It is wonderful and laudable objective that the Nigerian Army despite their very tight schedule have found time to to come to Edeoha community to deliver free healthcare to the people.
“I want to implore the members of this community to please take what is happening here today seriously, because it is not easy to package events like this, talk more when it is coming from a highly professional body like the Nigerian Army.
“Do not take it for granted because they know that your health is paramount and it is when you are healthy that you will be wealthy and the government of Rivers State is also doing everything humanly possible to ensure the food health of its people, no wonder they have formed the Rivers State Contributory Protective Health Programme, where the zero to five years, the aged, that sixty and above, the pregnant mothers and others are receiving free healthcare services from all state hospitals and designated private hospitals.
“I also want to say that whatever is the outfall of this free medical today, because there are some of you that would have health challenges that would go beyond this place, please if the doctors advise you to go to the hospital for further treatment, please do not hesitate to visit any government hospital near you.”
“I want to commend the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association for this laudable initiative”, she added.
