Why govt should not be involved in hospital, education management –Obi

The former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, said yesterday, that the government should not be involved in hospital and education management.

The former governor, who spoke at the golden jubilee celebration of St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha, was variously eulogised as the architect of the projects that were commissioned, which included ultra-modern school of nursing building, doctors’ quarters and other projects to commemorate the jubilee celebration.
Speaking, Obi said that he decided to partner with the Church especially in education and health care delivery, because the church was better at managing those institutions.                                                                                  
Recognizing the importance of the government, he said that the government’s role should best be supervisory, adding, “I mean, look at the projects the hospital delivered in partnership with the Church. If it were entirely by the Government, I am sure today they will be in variation stage.”
In his sermon during the mass to mark the event, the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha and the proprietor of the Hospital, Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Okeke, traced the history of the Jubilee celebration, saying it was a time of freedom, celebration and turning of new leaf.
He thanked all those that contributed to the building of the hospital, starting with the founder, Archbishop Charles Heerey. He particularly commended Obi, who, according to him, introduced a new vista in the partnership between the government and the Church.
He thanked his successor, Governor Willie Obiano, for the promise to continue in Obi’s footsteps.
In his own remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Rev. Fr. Daniel Onuorah, thanked all those that have continued to support the hospital.

Photo: L-R Fr. Daniel Onuorah, Fr. Marius Obiagwu, Prof. Stella Okunna, Mr. Peter Obi, Archbishop Valerian Okeke, bishop Denis Chidi Isizoh, Fr. Patrick Omutah, Mrs. Vivian Nwandu and Fr. Boniface Okafor after the commissioning of the ultra modern building for the School of Nursing at St. Charles Borromeo Hospital, Onitsha at the weekend  as part of the Golden Jubilee  Anniversary celebration of the Hospital.