Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Thursday commissioned the renovated Agbala Paediatric Centre in Ikorodu as well as a newly constructed Accident and Emergency Ward, at the General Hospital Ikorodu, a project financed by the Heineken African Foundation in collaboration with Nigerian Breweries Plc.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambode, represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, praised the contribution of the Nigerian Breweries Plc, through its foundation, to the improvement of the health standard of Lagosians, stating that the two projects undertaken by the company is in fulfilment of government’s desire to provide accessible and qualitative healthcare for the people.
The Governor maintained that the paediatric centre will not only complement the existing Mother and Child Centre at the hospital but also provide additional facilities for the treatment of children, while in the same vein, he stressed that the emergency and accident centre is timely to serve the ever growing population in Ikorodu, which he noted his due to government continuous improvement of infrastructural facilities in that part of the state.
He thanked the company and implored other corporate organisations to take a cue and support the government in its quest to better the lives of the people by embarking on philanthropic projects that will help in the growth and development of Lagos and its residents.
Speaking on the idea behind the project, Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nicolaas Vervelde, represented by the company’s Director of Human Resources, Victor Famoyinbo, stated that the Heineken African Foundation, which is coordinated by Nigerian Breweries in Nigeria identified healthy living as the core agenda of its operation and has over the years assisted various health institutions and non-governmental organisations in health related interventions.
Mr Vervelde stated that over the years, the company had made financial and facility interventions at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, supported the Sickle Cell Foundation, Autism and provided financial support for various programmes to raise awareness of the danger of jaundice in babies amongst other supports.
He said the renovation of the paediatric centre and construction and equipping of the emergency and accident centre is in fulfilment of the organisation’s desire to provide health care facilities for the people of Ikorodu and other Lagosians that may use the facilities.
The commissioning ceremony was witnessed by the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, top government functionaries and executive secretaries of local government and local council development areas.
