Commissioning Of 100-bed Mother & Child Hospital And Skills Acquisition Centre In Ikenne, Ogun State On 18/02/2023

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REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE MOTHER & CHILD HOSPITAL AND SKILLS ACQUISITION CENTER BUILT BY THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS OFFICE IN IPERU REMO, OGUN STATE ON THE 18^TH OF FEBRUARY, 2023

PROTOCOLS

I am delighted to be here today as we celebrate the commissioning of this 100-bed Mother and Child Hospital, as well as the Skills Acquisition Center built by the Sustainable Development Goals Office here in Iperu Remo, Ogun State.

Everyone present may recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, joined other World Leaders during the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2015 to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda envisions a present and a future that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive and environmentally resilient.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are therefore especially transformational; and the importance of investing in the health and well-being of women and children, in particular, cannot be overstated. These SDGs have therefore been carefully integrated into our medium and long-term national and sub-national development policies and plans.

Besides the projects we are commissioning today under the SDGs, soon we would also be commissioning another set of ongoing projects around here, including:

*Construction of 250-bed Mother and Child Hospital, Ikenne (already practically  completed);

*The Construction of a Mega School, ie Ikenne Community High School, which is actually completed;

* Also a Mini stadium at the Ikenne community high school – nearing completion;

*There is also the construction of 36 classrooms at the Mayflower School in Ikenne;

*And another Skill Acquisition Center, at the Isanbi High  School at Ilisan, which is also completed.

So, today’s event symbolizes the tremendous progress we have made in achieving the SDGs and, in that process, promoting the health and welfare of our people. This hospital is a testament to our commitment to the healthcare of women and children, and to ensuring that we secure the future of Ogun State.

The facility will not only provide primary healthcare to treat preventable diseases but will also ensure that women have access to pre and postnatal care, which is absolutely vital to the well-being of our women and the children that they will birth.

The 100-Bed Mother and Child Centre (MCC), to be commissioned shortly, is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. They include among others Two Operating Theatres; Recovery Rooms; Private and General Wards; Scanning Rooms; Consultation Rooms and Laboratories.

Other facilities include an Ultra-Scan Machine; Vacuum Extractor Delivery Set; and an Emergency Cart with full compliments.

The Mother and Child Center is directly linked to the achievement of SDG-3 on ‘Quality Health and Well-being for all’, as well as other cross-cutting SDGs.

The fact that the project was delivered so promptly underscores the government’s recognition of the importance of healthcare facilities. This hospital is indeed an investment in the future; a testament to the women and children, indeed all families of Ogun State, that their wellbeing is our number one priority. I am confident that the government and people of Ogun State will make judicious use of this facility.

In the last few years, our government has also taken several steps to improve the quality of life of our citizens. We have increased access to education, promoted sustainable agriculture, and improved infrastructure.

Our objective has always been to provide opportunities for young people to have well-paying jobs. No young person should go through the needless frustration of joblessness. This is why we have ensured that we provide in collaboration with State and Local Governments, places for the development of human capital. These include tech hubs and skill acquisition centres and facilities for digital education and training.

The one we will commission today is one of many. It is fully equipped with Sewing Machines, Computers, Building Trades and Welding Fabrication equipment as well as Photography and Vulcanizing equipment. And the 24 classrooms in two locations are fully furnished with modern learning and teaching facilities. Among others, the center will provide vocational training in areas such as carpentry, tailoring, photography, welding and other small-scale skills, which are vital to creating stronger and more sustainable livelihood opportunities. This is of course a vital delivery tool for President Buhari’s commitment to lift 100 million out of poverty in 10 years.

I am confident that this skills acquisition center will be a great success, and I look forward to seeing its impact on the lives of our people, putting them on the path to success, and also helping our state as a whole become more prosperous and better able to compete in today’s global economy.

I wish to thank most sincerely the hard-working and committed Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun, MFR, for creating the enabling environment and working actively with the SDG Office to ensure the actualization of this project.

I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Her Excellency, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, OFR, Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, now Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, for her revolutionary, focused and result-oriented approach to the delivery of government’s human capital developments projects. She has done very well indeed and I would like to congratulate her for the excellent work she has done not just in our State Ogun, but across Nigeria.

Finally, I want to congratulate our citizens for their dedication and hard work towards building a better future for all.

It is my hope that this hospital and skill development Centre will serve as models for other States to replicate, and that their establishment will contribute positively to the health, well-being and livelihood of all in Remo, Ogun State citizens and Nigeria in general.

It is therefore my singular honour and pleasure to commission this 100-bed Mother and Child Hospital and Skills Acquisition Centre to the glory of God and for the benefit of all Nigerians.

I thank you all for joining us here today, and for listening.

God bless you.