-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Albert OGRAKA:
Wife of the Governor of Delta State and founder of 05 initiative, Dame Edith Okowa, on Friday December 1, 2021 presented gifts and offered prayers to Baby Joy Ogwu Ogbeta, the first baby born in 2021.
The first baby of the year, 2021, weighed 2.6kg and was born at 12:15am on the 1/1/2021 at the General hospital, Asaba to Mr and Mrs Ogwu Ogbeta.
Dame Okowa, who was full of joy on seeing the first baby of the year, said the year 2021 is a special year and appreciated God for keeping everyone alive to see the New Year.
She commended the doctors and nurses who laboured for the delivery of the child and other children who were born on January 1.
Father of the baby, Emeka Ogwu, said he felt very great for the delivery of his first baby after four years of marriage and the special visit of the governor’s wife.
Mr. Ogwu, a business man, said: “I feel very great and happy. My wife and baby are alive and healthy. We have been married for four years before the baby came. This is our first child.
“I feel great and appreciate the governor’s wife for coming to see us. I also see that the structures in the hospital are wonderful. Here is a better place than what we have outside. We need more of this in the state,” Mr. Ogwu said.
Dependable sources revealed that from the registration of the baby for ante-natal till the birth of the baby which was through caesarian section, no money was collected from the family.
Also, all post natal care the child will receive at the hospital for the next five years will be free in line with the under five policy of the Delta state government.
The mother of the baby, Mrs. Mercy Ogwu-Ogbeta is a lecturer at the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka. The husband is from Aniocha South East hole the wife is from Sapele local government area.
Meanwhile, the governor’s wife had paid N1.139million for the hospital bill of 11 patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, the Delta state capital.
While making the presentation of the cash to the Chief Medical Director of the FMC, Dr. Victor Osiatuma, she thanked God for using 05 Initiative her pet project to meet the need of many people in the state.
She said with the payment, the freedom of the patients had started and they would enjoy the 2021 to the fullest. She added that the year would be freedom from all evils, noting that all evils of 2020 had been deleted.
In response to the gesture of the governor’s wife, Chief Medical Director of the FMC, Dr. Osiatuma said he received the news of Her Excellency’s visit to pay the bills with joy.
He said since the governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa came into power, the wife has never discriminated against federal or state hospitals in her effort to meet the health needs of the people of Delta state
According to him, since Okowa’s wife has been in the office of the state’s first lady, patients in the FMC have always been glad, leaving the hospital with her assistance.
He prayed for God to keep the family of the governor so as to continue to meet the needs of the people of the state.
