Otti Commissions 80-bed Obingwa General Hospital, Names it after Chima Ubani

_“This Facility Shall Stand As Testimony To Development And Good Governance” — Gov. Otti_

OBINGWA, Abia State – Governor Alex Otti, on Tuesday, commissioned the newly built Obingwa General Hospital, describing it as a milestone in the state’s drive to deliver quality, technology-driven healthcare to the people.

The Governor announced that the facility would be named after the late pro-democracy activist, Comrade Chima Ubani, in honour of his sacrifice and service to humanity.

Speaking at the event, Otti said good health is central to the “New Abia” development philosophy, noting that his administration has consistently committed 15% of the annual budget to the health sector in the last 3 years.

“Hope, empathy and compassion are the core drivers of our healthcare policy framework and the reason is simple: development, in its entirety, is about human beings,” he said.

He added that the investment has helped restore confidence in public health institutions and saved lives, “especially mothers and newborns.”

The Governor highlighted key features including a healing garden to aid patient recovery, technology-driven operations for data management and real-time inter-facility collaboration, and tech-supported laboratory and scan analysis for accuracy.

The hospital also boasts best-in-class theatre, eye care and observation rooms, and a renewable energy system to guarantee uninterrupted power supply.

The Governor commended the project team and disclosed that community leaders have been incorporated into an oversight framework with the LGA Mayor to prevent vandalism and ensure accountability.

“What has been invested here is taxpayers’ money and every kobo of it must yield commensurate value to the people. Whoever thinks that this is another random government investment without the demands of accountability must abandon such thoughts,” he warned.

He directed that attempts at vandalism be treated as “direct attack on the State” and charged relevant authorities to prioritize staff capacity development.

In an emotional tribute, Governor Otti paid homage to the late Comrade Chima Ubani, describing him as “a martyr of the masses” who lived and died for justice and the common man.

“To be clear, Chima earned his place in immortality strictly on the strength of the work that he did in his lifetime. Naming this facility after this remarkable son of our land represents a modest honour to his memory and a call to action,” the Governor said.

He specially honoured Mrs. Ochuwa Ubani and their four children, pledging continued government support to the family. He also commended the Civil Liberties Organisation, Campaign for Democracy and other pro-democracy groups for preserving Chima’s legacy.

“This hospital, named in honour of our friend, shall stand as an enduring testimony to our commitment to development, good governance and faith in humanity,” Gov. Otti concluded.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, said the Obingwa facility demonstrates the Governor’s commitment to modern, technology-driven healthcare.

“The 80-bed General Hospital is a demonstration that Governor Otti is building a future-ready healthcare system in Abia State,” he said.

Prof. Uche described the Obingwa hospital as a “digital hospital” with capacity to link women in labour at various PHCs to specialists at the facility for real-time support.

The Chairman of “Save A Life Group”, Dr. Richard Okoye, said the group is partnering with the state government, projected that “Abia will soon record the highest life expectancy in the whole of West Africa due to Governor Otti’s investment in health.”

Also speaking, renowned Professor of Paediatrics, Prof. Kanu Nkaginieme, stressed the need for President-Generals and Community leaders to oversee health facilities and for all Abians to take ownership of government projects across the state.

The commissioning of the Obingwa General Hospital, now named after the late pro-democracy activist Comrade Chima Ubani, is expected to expand access to quality secondary healthcare for hundreds of thousands in Obingwa LGA and neighbouring communities.