By Abiodun Lawal/Celine-Damilola Oyewole
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has officially commissioned the Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence in Abeokuta.
Tinubu described the projects as a milestone in the journey towards providing decent, smart and affordable housing for the people of the state.
The estate, comprising 108 housing units and situated along the Oke-Mosan-Kobape Express Road, was commissioned in the presence of top government officials and stakeholders in the housing sector.
Speaking at the commissioning, Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun appreciated the First Lady for honouring the event.
He stressed the importance of addressing the housing deficit in the state through the promotion and provision of decent accommodation that would improve the living conditions of the people.
The governor assured that the present administration would continue to work tirelessly towards providing affordable housing units for its citizens until the very last day of the administration.
According to him, government must create an environment where citizens can live with dignity, access essential services, pursue legitimate aspirations and face the future with confidence.
“Development must ultimately be measured by its impact on human beings.
“The true measure of government is found not only in the number of projects it commissions, but also in the number of lives those projects improve,” he said.
Abiodun further said that the commissioning of the Muhammadu Buhari Estate in Abeokuta demonstrated his administration’s commitment to providing decent and affordable housing.
He also highlighted the administration’s investment in healthcare, saying efforts had been made to strengthen primary healthcare centres across the state.
He noted that the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence, represented another major step towards providing quality healthcare and reducing medical tourism.
According to him, healthcare should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it, but an essential service available to every citizen.
Also, the Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Akande Omoniyi, expressed appreciation to the First Lady for her support and commitment towards the successful completion of the first phase of the housing project.
He said that the housing units had demonstrated the government’s determination to provide decent housing for low, medium and high-income earners.
He added that it had also supported the state’s efforts to bridge the housing deficit and improve the standard of living of its people.
He assured the people of the state that the ministry of housing would continue to support the initiative, aimed at increasing the availability of decent homes and promoting sustainable housing development across the state.
Earlier, Mrs Tinubu also launched the National Community Food Bank Programme for the South-West to support vulnerable households.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Community Food Bank is in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to advance food security, improve health outcomes, and build a more prosperous nation.
The programme attracted major stakeholders across the country as part of efforts to strengthen the Federal Government’s social intervention initiatives.
The programme also featured the distribution of food items to vulnerable people and indigent residents across the South-West Zone comprising Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States.
The First Lady, in her message, appreciated the governor, his wife, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun and the citizens for the warm reception and for hosting her.
She also acknowledged the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina.
She commended the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr Ayo Sotinrin, for supporting the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to impact lives.
The programme, according to Mrs Tinubu, is a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households across the country.
She said the programme was designed to ensure that children under the age of six, pregnant women, and lactating mothers have access to nutritious food easily.
In his address, Pate lauded Tinubu for her leadership in tackling malnutrition and promoting food security among vulnerable Nigerians.
He noted that adequate nutrition was critical to achieving good health outcomes, particularly for mothers, newborns and children.
“The food bank is something that the First Lady has conceived, and it shows her commitment to ensuring that no woman or child goes to bed hungry.
“The success of this programme depends on strong partnerships across all sectors of society,” he said.
He also commended Abiodun for the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence in Abeokuta, describing the facility as an example of what state governments could achieve in strengthening health infrastructure.
In his submission, Sotinrin of BOA said the bank would strengthen financial and supply chains supporting the National Community Food Bank Programme across Nigeria.
Sotinrin said the BOA would manage programme capital, procure food from approved local farmers and aggregators, provide agricultural financing where appropriate, and ensure accountability.
He urged businesses, governments, institutions, philanthropic organisations and individuals to support the programme, stressing that contributions would help procure food, sustain stocks and reach more families nationwide.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yetunde Fatungase