ABAKALIKI, NIGERIA (NPA): Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, has called on the Federal Government to establish an additional federal medical centre in the state.
Speaking on February 26, 2026, at the new Government House in Abakaliki during a working visit by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom S. (mni), and her team, Nwifuru emphasized that the existing Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki is overstretched, as it serves not only Ebonyi but the wider South East region. He stressed the need for another facility to meet the growing healthcare demands of the population.
According to a statement from the governor, the visit also featured the flag-off of cancer screening for 1,000 participants under the National Cancer Society’s South East Zonal Programme, as well as the foundation-laying ceremony for a new Oncology Centre. Nwifuru described these initiatives as “critical steps in strengthening access to specialized healthcare services for our people.”
He further urged the Federal Government to consider upgrades and expansion of the Alex Ekwueme Teaching Hospital to enhance its capacity and efficiency.
Governor Nwifuru’s administration is guided by the Ebonyi State People’s Charter of Needs, a governance framework that prioritizes citizen input over political patronage. The Charter focuses on social welfare and poverty reduction, infrastructure development, education and healthcare improvements, and transparency in justice sector reforms. Framed as a “Divine Mandate Consolidation and Continuity” strategy, it seeks to build on past governance while setting new standards for inclusive development, positioning Ebonyi State as a model for participatory governance in Nigeria.
