Group Raises Alarm Over Alleged Attempt To Frustrate Rural Healthcare Project
By Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja
A civil right advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Friday vowed to do everything possible to ensure the building of rural health care centers across local government areas in the country.
HURIWA said there are allegations that some governors are planning to frustrate the building of rural healthcare centers.
National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko who briefed reporters in Abuja on the development argued that the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), should also cry out and urged Nigerians to support the cause.
Onwubiko said the group will write the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), not to frustrate the process, adding that they should be advised to embrace the project.
Onwubiko also disclosed the group is advocating for the autonomy for local government councils.
His words: “In the execution of our mandate as a civil rights advocacy group Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has followed a matter that was in the competent Court of law for sometimes and later resolved concerning the project conceived by ALGON to build functional health care centres all across Nigeria.
“We are pleased that the import of the judgment is that the construction of these community based public heath care centres must not in any way be interfered with by the governors forum in the federation. We commend the verdict but also ask the Governors forum to refrain from the sinister plots to undermine the projects because of their selfish interests.
“Our interest is centred on the essence of this matter which speaks to the issue of autonomy for local councils of Nigeria in line with section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended and we strongly canvass the implementation to its completion these projects that would significantly boost the healthcare of the over 60 million rural dwellers just as we are by this medium asking the Governors forum not to sabotage the Primary healthcare initiatives of ALGON as that will be tantamount to exposing the lives of the rural dwellers to the consequences of the COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN NIGERIA.
“Again, we ask President Muhammadu Buhari to proceed with the revolutionary programme of conceding constitutional autonomy to LGAs as that is the surest way to guarantee employment opportunities for million of the rural dwellers and will open up the rural the rural communities to aggressive infrastructure upgrade and development.
“We will be writing to the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to highlight the essence of permitting the full implementation of the rural healthcare projects as this will further boost the rating of the governors as true democrats.”
– The Nation
