Presidency Commissions 50-Bed Primary Healthcare Centre, Recreational Facility, Classrooms In Lagos

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals has commissioned a 50-bed Primary Healthcare Centre, a Children’s Recreational Centre and two blocks comprising 36 classrooms in Lagos State to strengthen access to healthcare, support childhood development and improve learning conditions.

The healthcare and recreational centres are located in Egbeda, while the classroom blocks were delivered at Orisumibare Primary School,

A statement released by the Special Assistant to the SSAP-SDGs on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications stated that the projects Constructed, furnished and equipped by OSSAP-SDGs, form part of the Office’s interventions to translate the Sustainable Development Goals into services that address community needs.

Speaking through the Secretary of Programme, Ms Suzanne Iwongo Sado, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the projects reflected a connected approach to human development under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She acknowledged the President’s support and provision of resources for the interventions, identifying human capital development, social inclusion and essential services as priorities underpinning their delivery.

Orelope-Adefulire explained that healthcare, recreation and education reinforce one another, particularly in the development of children.

“A healthy child needs quality healthcare, safe opportunities to play and develop, and a conducive classroom in which to learn,” she said in the address delivered on her behalf.

“By bringing these interventions together, we are investing in the full development of the child and strengthening the foundations of a healthier, safer, better-educated and more inclusive society.”

The 50-bed Primary Healthcare Centre is intended to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare for residents of Egbeda and surrounding communities, with particular attention to women, children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.

The centre is equipped with operating theatres, recovery rooms, private and general wards, a scanning room, consultation rooms, a delivery room, a children and adult intensive care units and a laboratory.

It also has a vacuum extractor delivery set, an ultrasound machine, a fully equipped emergency section and an ambulance. It also has a 12 rooms fully furnished staff quarters.

Orelope-Adefulire said the intervention would support Sustainable Development Goal 3 on Good Health and Well-being by bringing essential services closer to residents, strengthening maternal and child healthcare, and improving the capacity of frontline health personnel to respond to community needs.

She also linked improved access to healthcare with poverty reduction, gender equality and reduced inequalities, noting that difficulties in obtaining treatment could affect household finances, children’s education and the ability of adults to earn a living.

She explained that the facility’s intended contribution extends beyond medical care to supporting the stability and dignity of families.

“Beyond the beds and physical structure, this centre represents dignity, timely intervention and renewed hope,” she said.

Orelope-Adefulire stressed that commissioning the centre marked the beginning of a continuing responsibility, calling on the relevant authorities and beneficiaries to ensure proper staffing, protection and maintenance.

“Sustainable infrastructure is not measured only by the day it is commissioned, but by the quality of service it continues to deliver over many years,” she stated.

The children’s Recreational Centre, also in Egbeda, was presented as an investment in children’s physical, mental, social and emotional development.

Orelope-Adefulire emphasised the importance of safe spaces where children could interact, explore their abilities and develop outside formal learning environments.

“Play is not a luxury; it is an essential part of childhood and a powerful means through which children develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally,” she said.

The centre is intended to encourage creativity, teamwork, healthy habits and positive social interaction while giving children opportunities to build friendships and a sense of belonging.

The intervention supports SDGs 3, 4, 10 and 11, which address health, education, reduced inequalities, and sustainable cities and communities.

Local authorities, parents, teachers, community leaders and youth organisations were urged to ensure fair access to the facility, with particular attention to girls, children with disabilities and children from vulnerable households.

They were also encouraged to maintain the equipment and keep the environment safe and welcoming.

At Orisumibare Primary School, the two blocks comprising 36 classrooms are intended to ease pressure on existing facilities and provide a more conducive environment for pupils and teachers.

Orelope-Adefulire said the investment supported quality education and the wider objective of expanding opportunities for children, regardless of their backgrounds.

“The true value of these classrooms will not be found in their walls alone, but in the dreams nurtured within them, the knowledge shared by committed teachers, and the futures transformed through learning,” she said.

Speakers at the handover called for effective teacher deployment, adequate learning materials, sanitation, security and continuous maintenance. Parents were encouraged to support regular attendance and work closely with school authorities.

The Executive Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, Hon. Akinpelu Ibrahim Johnson, welcomed the projects as investment in the community’s future and thanked President Tinubu and Orelope-Adefulire for the interventions.

The chairman described the projects as significant milestones in the development of the communities, noting that they represent important investments in the health, well-being, education and future of residents, particularly women, children and other vulnerable members of society.

“These classroom blocks will provide our pupils with a more conducive environment to learn, grow and fulfil their potential. Indeed, every investment in the education of our children is an investment in the future of our community,” Johnson said.

Formally accepting the handover, he pledged the local government’s support for proper utilisation and maintenance, while appealing to school management and residents to protect the facilities for future generations.

Johnson also acknowledged the contribution of His Royal Majesty, Oba Akeeb Adebowale Rauf, the Alaye of Orisumibare, who provided the land on which the school was built. Akinpelu also commended the Elegbeda of Egbeda, His Royal Majesty Oba Hammed Omogoriola Orelope Laka, for his leadership and support towards the development of Egbeda and its people.

He described the traditional rulers’ support as an important contribution to the project, highlighting the cooperation between federal intervention, local leadership and the community.