DR. EUNICE ORTOM PROMISES SUSTAINED SERVICE TO HUMANITY, OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIGENT STUDENTS @ OFFICIAL OPENING OF ESLF INTEGRATED HEALTH FACILITY.

The Founder, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) and First Lady of Benue State Dr. Eunice Ortom has affirmed that the newly inaugurated ESLF Integrated Health Facility (ESLF-IHF) would “provide general health services, maternal and child health services and reformative services while bridging the gap in unemployment by training her clients in relevant contemporary and vocational skills-building services, hence, reducing their involvement in various social vices”.

Dr. Ortom stated this today in her address during the official opening of a comprehensive and integrated health facility to cater for the health, psycho-social and economic needs of clients in furtherance of her desire to continue to impact the lives of people.

She expressed the determination to take her place at the forefront of the fight against the sub-optimal health systems, high maternal and child mortality, involvement of young persons in harmful and negative practices and unemployment despite investments made by both government and private sectors.

The ESLF Founder who expressed gratitude for the support from ESLF Ambassadors, partners, philanthropists and the government that helped to nurture the IHF dream to fruition, described the event as “a culmination of an enormous collective effort which began in 2018 when the IHF dream was conceived”.

The First Lady said one of her key priorities over the next five years “is for ESLF Integrated Health Facility to drive greater investments in health, economic and finance resilience,” adding that she was convinced that the interventions would support and reinforce government’s health, social and economic investments and lead to substantial benefit in the development process.

The foundation also announced that it would be awarding scholarships to indigent students of the Benue State University across its 8 faculties, as well as a slot for full scholarship at the Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Benin City, Edo State for 1 student of Benue State origin with the criteria for qualification and mode of application to be announced soon. In his remarks, Governor Samuel Ortom who praised the unflinching commitment of the First Lady to ameliorating the plight of the vulnerable, revealed that her will to serve humanity has helped complement government effort to meet the needs of people in health, economic empowerment among others. He said the government has remained committed to supporting any person or organisation with innovative ideas and has shown capacity to bring such ideas to fruition.

Making his contribution, Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa expressed satisfaction that an ideal place for effective remedy has been provided for the disturbing drug menace in the state and country through the reformative therapy now available at the ESLF-IHF.

In her goodwill messages, the President of Africa Regional Council of Women, Dr. Gloria Shoda commended Dr. Ortom for the laudable and innovative project and disclosed that Benue State had been adjudged to be one of the best in the result of a peer review research of projects of State First Ladies across the country by the Nigeria Council of Women Society (NCWS) and hailed the fact that “the project is not ceremonial but one that meets the needs of the people and satisfies Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 and 8.On her part, wife of the former President of the Nigerian Senate, Mrs. Helen Mark and former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri who described Dr. Ortom as a visioner enjoined that all hands be on deck to support her vision.

Delivering the keynote address, the Director General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr. Olawale Fasanya who was represented by Engr. Anthony Igba committed to technical partnership at various levels to strengthen the sinews of the skills acquisition component of the new facility.

Wives of the two paramount rulers in the state, HRM Prof. Felicia Ayatse and HRM Mrs. Omaba Elaigwu who described the First Lady as “a virtuous woman” and a “jewel of inestimable value”, thanked her for all she has accomplished in office and added that these good works would speak for her long after her stay as First Lady of the State.

Others who spoke including representatives of the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, ESLF Ambassadors, and Consultants who would run the various arms of the facility all showed different level of commitment to the success of the facility set to deliver standard service as could be obtainable in any part of Nigeria.