The Executive Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, has donated a primary healthcare centre and a solar-powered borehole to residents of Aso-Ayegunle in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, as part of the airline’s corporate social responsibility efforts.
The facilities were officially inaugurated and handed over to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji on Monday. According to Okonkwo, the projects followed a decision by the airline’s management during its annual retreat in Ekiti State to undertake an initiative that would have a lasting impact on the host community.
Okonkwo explained that Aso-Ayegunle, which is located near the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, was identified as a community in need of improved access to clean water and primary healthcare services.
He said the airline consulted residents to determine their most pressing needs before deciding to provide the two facilities. He also commended Governor Oyebanji for granting the necessary support within 48 hours, adding that the foundation stone was laid before the airline’s delegation departed the state following its retreat in February.
The airline chairman disclosed that approximately 90 per cent of the construction work was carried out by qualified members of the local community. He said the approach was intended to ensure residents benefited directly from the projects, including through local employment opportunities.
Okonkwo added that the donation would not mark the end of the airline’s relationship with Aso-Ayegunle, explaining that the company would continue to assess the facilities’ impact and explore additional ways to support the community.
He also said United Nigeria Airlines was working to expand its cargo operations to support Ekiti’s agricultural sector by improving the movement of farm produce to wider markets. He noted that the airline’s relationship with the state extended beyond commercial interests to include contributions to residents’ welfare.
While inaugurating the projects, Governor Oyebanji praised Okonkwo and the airline’s management for supporting community development.
The governor explained that the arrangement required the airline to construct the healthcare centre, while the Ekiti State Government would equip the facility and provide the personnel and consumables needed for its daily operations.
Oyebanji described the initiative as an example of how partnerships between government and the private sector could improve public welfare. He said government could not independently meet every development need and therefore required the support of responsible businesses and investors.
The governor also disclosed that his administration had rehabilitated, remodelled or constructed approximately 180 health centres across Ekiti State over the preceding four years as part of efforts to expand access to primary healthcare.
He urged residents to take responsibility for protecting and maintaining the new facilities and making proper use of the services provided. He also called on traditional rulers and community members to support government programmes and private investments, particularly those connected to the development of the cargo airport.
According to Oyebanji, the airport should generate wider benefits for surrounding communities through employment, improved infrastructure and additional economic opportunities. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to attracting investments that create jobs and improve living standards.
Speaking on behalf of Aso-Ayegunle, Prince Peter Falade thanked United Nigeria Airlines and the state government for the projects, saying they would make essential services more accessible to residents.
Falade noted that residents previously had to travel to other locations to obtain medical attention, a situation that created difficulties for pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and people requiring urgent treatment.
He said the new healthcare centre would help reduce these challenges, while the solar-powered borehole would improve access to clean water, which is essential for public health.
Falade assured the airline and the state government that the community would protect and maintain the facilities, while expressing hope that further development projects would be provided in the future.
Credit: PUNCH
