The traditional ruler of Igbaja in Kwara, Oba Ahmed Babalola, has appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for bringing the first federal government medical project to the town.

Babalola, the Elese of Igbaja land, gave appreciation at the commissioning ceremony of a 40-bed Mother and Child hospital in the town, built by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Elese, who spoke through the President of the Igbaja Progressive Union, Pastor Oluwatoyin Alabi, also appreciated the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for facilitating the project.

“Today's event is historical in many respects as it is the first project of its kind that will bring federal government presence to our community.

“We owe a huge gratitude to the minister who incidentally is a proud son of Igbaja and on many occasions has attested to the fact that Igbaja is his second home,” he said.

Babalola said the project would go a long way to combat infant and maternal mortality in the community and improve access to healthcare services.

According to the Elese, the location of the hospital would also bring relief not only to Igbaja, but the entire Irese land of Adanla, in Offa-Iresse, and other adjourning communities.

He appreciated Princess Orelope Adefulire, the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, for executing the project and for her tireless roles in realising the United Nations' goals through the length and breadth of Nigeria.

Oba Babalola appealed for the provision of additional infrastructure that would aid the smooth running of the hospital, including quarters for medical personnel to ensure their proximity to the hospital.

Others are solar panels and inverters as alternate power sources, a backup generator, a borehole for water supply, and qualified and experienced personnel to manage the affairs of the hospital.

In her remarks, Adefulire assured that the hospital would be fully completed and equipped with desired and requested facilities in two months.

She recalled how the minister approached her office to solicit projects for his home town, Oro, also in Kwara as well as Igbaja which he regarded as his second home.

Adefulire hailed the minister for a good representation of his people and enjoined them to keep praying for him.

The minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Adefulire for approving and executing the project as well as an 80-Bed Mother and Child Hospital in Oro, his town.

He said the projects, like many others of the Buhari administration, would benefit the most vulnerable people in the society.

He said the project would replicate the ECWA Dispensing Centre that he used to know in Igbaja 50 years back while growing up and schooling in the town.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Kwara Governor, AbdulRazaq AbdulRaheem, was represented by his Special Assistant on SDG, Dr Jamila Ibrahim.

NAN