Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday in Zamfara State spoke in parables about his death, revealing that he is currently headed to the departure lounge.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Obasanjo was in Zamfara at the invitation of the State Governor Dauda Lawal to inaugurate the reconstructed Yeriman Bakura Specialists Hospital in Gusau.
While commending Governor Lawal, the former President said: “Even though I am gradually going to the departure lounge, but I won’t take my boarding pass until you and I get this State to become one of the leading States in Nigeria”.
Obasanjo added: “You asked me to come; I have come, I have seen, but I am going nowhere yet. If you don’t invite me to Zamfara, I will invite myself regularly”.
Japa: How to hold medical personnel in Nigeria – Obasanjo
Meanwhile, in his speech, Obasanjo, who is 88-year-old, also proffered a solution to the menace of mass relocation of medical personnel from the country, suggesting that they should be provided with incentives.
Obasanjo stressed that without medical personnel, though the right environment and equipment are there, hospitals cannot deliver, adding that providing incentives for medical personnel will address the japa menace.
“For hospitals, especially when many Nigerians, who have been trained as medical personnel are japaing, which is going out of the country looking for better conditions, I say how do you hold them here.
“You have to give them a bit of incentive. You have to. We need all the personnel that we can have because for our hospitals to deliver, you need the right environment, you need equipment and then you need the personnel,” Obasanjo said.
The former President praised Governor Lawal for his outstanding achievements and performance since assuming office, while urging the Governor to continue his good work.
The former President: “I am in Zamfara State today to see the new, improved, and improving Zamfara under your leadership. Here we are.
“Two things surprised me: the commissioner of health mentioned that you have a CT scan and an MRI this hospital.
“I know some teaching hospitals that don’t have CT scans and MRIs, and some have machines, but they are not operational.
“Here you have it; it is working and providing service.
“I have great pleasure to be here, to commission this remodelled and reequipped hospital for the well-being and welfare of everybody that will come here.”
While commissioning of the Zannah Road to Abarma Road, former President Obasanjo said that Governor Lawal was making Zamfara a modern state.
“Based on my observations and what I have heard, we are partners in progress. I urge you to continue enhancing Zamfara State throughout your government’s eight-year tenure.”
We will no longer travel abroad for medical attention – Zamfara Gov
Speaking at the event, Governor Lawal said that with the complete reconstruction of the Yeriman Bakura Specialists Hospital in Gusau, patients will no longer travel out of the State to seek medical attention.
According to Lawal, the Yeriman Bakura Specialists Hospital has been fully upgraded and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that meet global standards.
In his address, the Governor thanked former President Obasanjo for honouring the invitation to commission the key projects in the State.
“Your Excellency, on behalf of all the citizens of Zamfara State, thank you for honouring our invitation and welcome to your second home, Zamfara State.
“A State that is dear to your heart because our primary vocation here is agriculture, something you are very passionate about.
“The Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital has undergone both expansion and renewal. New facilities have been constructed.
“Doctors now have newly completed residential quarters, including two- and three-bedroom semidetached units, and a befitting residence for the Chief Medical Director.
“A serene and quiet patient relaxation arena has also been introduced alongside the redesign and beautification of the hospital landscape. We also established internal road networks that support mobility, order, and aesthetics.
“The new centers constructed are new Obstetrics and Gynecology (O&G), new Radiology Complex, new Laboratory Complex, and Patient Relaxation Arena.
“Equally important is the extensive renovation and modernization of 14 key departments, all of which have been revitalized and upgraded to contemporary standards.
“We have matched these infrastructural improvements with a robust supply of cutting-edge medical equipment across all critical Departments.
“These include advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools for radiology, dialysis, surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, physiotherapy, endoscopy, echocardiography, dentistry, and general clinical care.
“The hospital has also been furnished with new hospital beds, electronic systems, general furniture, and waste management infrastructure to ensure an environment that meets global hygiene standards, safety, and comfort.”
The governor emphasised that the hospital was well-equipped to function as a true referral center for complex medical cases, a credible training facility for healthcare personnel, and a hub for medical research and innovation.
Other projects commissioned were the Zannah road to Abarma road and Tsalha Bungudu road to Kwanar Birnin Ruwa road, all in Gusau, the state capital.