By Aderogba George
The Nigerian Medical Association, FCT Chapter (NMA-FCT), has appealed to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to provide an access road to its property at Mamusa North District, Sabon Lugbe.
Dr Emeka Ayogu, NMA-FCT Chairman, made the appeal during a press conference marking the beginning of the 2025 Physicians’ Week celebrations organised by the chapter in Abuja on Monday.
He said the association had secured 18 hectares of land at Mamusa District, but doctors who subscribed to the land had no access due to the absence of a linking road.
“Members painstakingly subscribed to that land, but they cannot access it because no road connects the area to surrounding communities,” Ayogu stated.
He called on Wike, popularly known as “Mr Project,” to extend his developmental efforts to doctors in the FCT, as he had done previously for judges and other professionals.
“We’re pleading with the minister to build an access road to the area to enable development and allow members to use the property they’ve rightfully acquired,” Ayogu added.
He also said the 2025 Physicians’ Week began on Oct. 19 with a thanksgiving service, and the events would include public health outreach, conferences, mentorship, and community engagement.
Ayogu noted that the week aimed to celebrate doctors’ contributions to the FCT, promote unity among healthcare workers, and extend compassion to less-privileged residents of the capital territory.
He said the chapter would visit two orphanages as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Dynastic Orphanage, Apo, and Zanawing Orphanage for the Poorest of the Poor in Gwagwalada.
According to him, the outreach reflects the association’s commitment to giving back to society and supporting vulnerable populations through humanitarian engagement and medical community service.
“The celebration will also feature mentorship sessions for young doctors to help them prepare for future responsibilities and professional challenges in Nigeria’s evolving health system.”
Ayogu disclosed that the conference opening ceremony, scheduled for Oct. 21, would explore two themes relevant to healthcare delivery and the medical profession’s ethical future.
The selected themes are: “Healthcare as a Value Chain: Building Efficiency from Policy to Patient” and “AI, Ethics, and the Physician’s Role in Modern Healthcare.”
He added that the week would also involve visits to ailing NMA members and sports activities to promote wellness, collaboration, and team spirit among doctors working in the FCT.
Dr Charles Ugwuanyi, immediate past chairman of the chapter, emphasised the call to the FCT minister, urging urgent intervention to provide road access to the Mamusa property.
Ugwuanyi said infrastructure gaps contributed to the exodus of doctors from Nigeria, but those remaining continued to serve patriotically in spite of the operational and environmental challenges they face.
Dr Okafor Chike, Secretary of the NMA-FCT Land and Housing Committee, added that a river running through the property had made access nearly impossible without government-supported construction work.
Chike appealed to Wike to help make the area motorable, noting that improved access would trigger development and support doctors in fully utilising the land for housing. (NAN)