By Gyang Bere, Jos
A former member of the House of Representatives in the Eighth National Assembly, Dr. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, recently constructed and furnished a 14-bed clinic for residents of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
It was learnt that the clinic, located in the centre of Jos, would serve the health needs of the less privileged in society.
The Yahaya Kwande Community Clinic has female and male wards, children and delivery units and a consulting room for doctors and nurses where emergency cases would be attended to.
Dr. Suleiman commenced the construction of the clinic as part of his constituency projects during the Eighth Assembly but couldn’t finish it before he left the House of Representatives in 2019. He completed, furnished and handed over the facility to the community on Monday, August 24.
The former lawmaker, who lost the APC primary in 2019 to return to the House of Representatives for the third time, insisted on completing the project in fulfilment of his campaign promises and to address the health needs of the people.
“I am grateful to God for giving me the enablement to complete this clinic that can admit 14 persons at a time. Although I am no longer in office, I promised myself that I would not leave any project uncompleted. I wish I could have done more in equipping the clinic but it was hard enough to build and finish it.
“I urge all illustrious sons and stakeholders in the community to come to the aid of the clinic to improve on the health challenges of our people, particularly the less privileged. My earnest desire is for our people to have good health and contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of Plateau State and Nigeria.
“With this hospital, children with health-related diseases and our women have no reason to undergo prolonged labour before delivery. It will reduce the health challenges of our people and complement government’s effort in providing affordable and quality health services to our people.”
Suleiman appreciated Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI) for naming the clinic after his father, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland, following his role in fostering unity and peaceful coexistence of the people.
A board of the governing council of the clinic was constituted and Alhaji Gwani Muhammad Alkali of Atika Foundation and Yusuf Yahaya-Kwande of Yahaya-Kwande Foundation, two respected citizens, were nominated to serve as members.
Director of Administration and Murshid JNI, Plateau State, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Yusuf, applauded Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande for taking the bold step of completing and equipping the hospital despite being out of office.
He noted that Yahaya-Kwande losing election to return to the National Assembly was enough for him to have abandoned the hospital. He said because he had his people at heart, Yahaya-Kwande decided to complete, equip and hand over the hospital to the people.
Sheikh Yusuf said he was not surprised at the action of the former lawmaker because of the training and good values he inherited from his father, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande.
“We are highly optimistic that this hospital will certainly address the health challenges of people in Jos and complement the government’s effort in providing health services to people at the community level, particularly during the current pandemic,” he said.
The Plateau State secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) , Bashir Musa Sati, commended Yahaya-Kwande for the thoughtful initiative and said that it would address the health challenges of the people. He called on politicians in positions of authority to emulate the former lawmaker.
“We are grateful that, even out of office, a lawmaker can still build a clinic for his people. This indeed is a challenge to those occupying leadership positions at the moment,” he said.
Hajiya Jamila Tijani Abdullahi, who spoke on behalf of the Ambassador Yahaya-Kwande family, expressed gratitude to God for the enablement to complete and furnish the clinic.
She called on the community to maintain, safeguard and make good use of the hospital.
Hajiya Jamila said Amb. Kwande’s family would continue to render selfless service to the people of Plateau State and Nigeria in different capacities to complement government’s effort towards making life comfortable for the people.
Chairman of the caretaker committee, JNI, Jos North Local Government Area and Chief Imam of Jos, Sheikh Lawal Adams Abubakar, described Hon. Yahaya-Kwande as a worthy representative who attached high premium to his constituents.
He said the clinic, the first of its kind in the Jos North community, particularly in the current location, would help in addressing the health challenges of the people.
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