Former Governor of Anambra State and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has called for the expansion of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

Ngige made the appeal during the graduation and induction ceremony of 80 graduates from the College, where he was also presented with a recognition award.

He commended the contributions of past academics, including the late Professors Festus Nwakor and Okey Mbonu, for their role in establishing and nurturing the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

“As we celebrate these 80 graduates, I urge the Governor and Visitor to the university, the Pro-Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and management to work aggressively towards expanding facilities so that more medical doctors and health professionals can be trained,” Ngige said.

He expressed surprise that the number of graduates was not higher and stressed the importance of producing more dental surgeons, physiotherapists, and other health professionals.

Ngige, a medical practitioner himself, highlighted the potential economic benefits, noting that these highly skilled professionals could be exportable and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy through diaspora remittances.

“Countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan followed this path in the 1960s and 1970s, and it continues to benefit their economies. We should mass-produce professionals without compromising standards,” he said.

Ngige also congratulated the College’s academic and non-academic staff for their dedication and contributed N1 million to support the graduating students.