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By Joel Anekwe
Oginigba community, in the Port Harcourt City Council of Rivers State, at the weekend got a N44 million Primary Health Care Centre, courtesy of the International Breweries Plc.
The health centre, which was started in 2019 is a state of the art health facility equipped with medical facilities such as infant incubators and warmer, nebulizer, anesthesia machine, suction machine, delivery beds, X-ray new box, oxygen concentrator, facilities for the resident doctor, and auto clave machine amongst others.
The provision of the according to IB Plc sources is a further demonstration of the company’s commitment to supporting government and communities in healthcare and infrastructure delivery.
The inauguration of the project was achieved about five months after its ground breaking ceremony held in November, 2019.
International Breweries Plc., a member of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-BuschInbev (AB InBev) invested N44million to build, furnish and equip the health centre which will be subsequently managed by the Rivers State Primary Health care Management Board.
The commissioning, which held at the Oginigba Primary School had in attendance dignitaries and representatives from the state government, International Breweries Plc., the local government council, the Primary Health Care Management board, the host community and neighbouring communities.
The company’s Legal and Corporate Affairs director, Otunba Micheal Daramola, said the commissioning was yet another testament to International Breweries Plc’s commitment to an effective and efficient Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) system, which the company has in partnership with its host communities.
He noted that the dream of bringing people together for a better world as espoused by the company drives the vision to support communities and the people of Nigeria in five CSR interventions areas – empowerment, education, health, infrastructural support and responsible drinking.
“The dream of bringing people together for a better world actually led to our vision of supporting the Rivers State government to provide this primary health care facility in Oginigba to cater for the people of the community and environs.
With today’s project, we are also demonstrating our contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 on Good Health and Well Being; SDG 6 on Clean Water & Sanitation and SDG 9 which addresses the impact of industry, innovation and infrastructure’’.
He hinted that aside the health centre, the company also has its footprints in other areas of development in the state.
“Before this project, we renovated the Oginigba primary School borehole which currently provides potable water to pupils, teachers and the community residents. We are also supporting youth empowerment and employment as eight youth beneficiaries from Rivers State would be receiving a total sum of N7, 970,000 as grants from the International Breweries Foundation under the Kickstart Youth Empowerment programme to start their businesses”.
Daramola said the company is also driving responsible drinking and sensitization campaigns in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to stem the menace of underage and binge drinking in communities and among consumers in Port Harcourt.
Outside Rivers State, Daramola listed other CSR projects embarked upon by the company to include: the renovation and donation of vital equipment to the Primary Health Care Centre in Esa Odo, Osun State; a five-room toilet and water facilities in Omi-Asoro Primary School, Osun State and solar powered boreholes for Ilashe community in Sagamu, Ogun State.
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, in his speech, commended International Breweries Plc for responding swiftly to the medical need of the community after the state government provided the site and location of the health centre.
Wike, who was represented by the commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, gave the assurance that government would continue to provide the enabling environment to support the business operations of corporations like International Breweries Plc that are complementing the state government’s efforts at improving the lives of its citizens.
President/Paramount Ruler of Oginigba Kingdom, HRH, Eze, Amb (Dr) G.B Odum, said the intervention recorded by International Breweries Plc with the Oginigba Health Centre would serve as an example for other multinational companies in Oginigba kingdom to emulate.
“We are indeed overwhelmed with joy to witness the completion of this ultra-modern health centre, a project embarked upon and successfully completed by International Breweries Plc. Words are not enough to convey how grateful we are to the management as we know that the company has left a great legacy on the sands of time. This landmark is one that will surely serve as an example to other multinational companies in Oginigba Kingdom”, he said.
“It is obvious that the company by this benevolence is committed to social justice and equity as well as the recognition of the fundamental right to the highest attainable standard of health as stated in article 25 of the universal Declaration of Human Rights Act that ‘everyone has a right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and that of his family’’.
“International Breweries is setting the pace in the history of Oginigba by putting smiles on faces with this laudable project,” the monarch added.