BEVERLY HILLS, CA, November 30, (THEWILL) – One year after he floated a foundation to cater to the needs of the less privileged in the society, former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, has spent over N140million pursuing the cause across communities in the Niger Delta.
Executive Secretary of the Tompolo Foundation, Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, who is also the media aide to Tompolo stated this on Friday at a media briefing to kick-start activities marking the first anniversary of the organisation.
Bebenimibo disclosed that Tompolo has not relented in the struggle to liberate the poor of the poor in the Niger Delta region, saying the foundation is committed to supporting rural people, communities and institutions which are denied their rights and liberties by the activities of non-democratic actors.
Bebenimibo said the foundation was tailored to provide educational and recreational materials to kids/children in public institution of which it has spent over N33 million in providing school uniforms, literature books for schools, customised learning materials, among others.
He said that the foundation have been providing health services to rural poor people of which it has expanded over N73.129 million for surgery, building and renovation of hospital, installation of water in hospital among others.
Explaining how the funds were expended, Bebenimibo said as part of its mandate, the foundation has donated state of the art medical equipment to Ogulagha Cottage Hospital as well as Okerenkoko Cottage Hospital which was abandoned by DESOPADEC which started the hospital project.
He said the foundation has employed the services of over 40 medical volunteer members of staff, including four doctors, six nurses, four laboratory scientists, four pharmacists, four recorders, two auxiliary nurses and 20 support staff, including cleaners and gardeners .
Bebenimibo said the hospital which was abandoned by the state government before it was taken over by the Tompolo Foundation, is serving over 85 communities both in Ondo, Edo and Delta States, adding that seven months after the hospital started operations, it has attended to over 4,463 patients in the coastal communities.
Besides, the Executive Secretary said the Foundation recently donated drugs worth millions of naira to four Local Government Areas of Delta State, including Ekpan General Hospital, Warri Central Hospital, Ugbokoko Health Centre as well as Ogbe-Ijoh General Hospital in Warri South West Local Government area of the state.
He also disclosed that the foundation in collaboration with the College of Education, Warri has trained 50 science teachers drawn from the three Warri Councils as he said that the Foundation has also extended the donation of educational materials to Ekpan Secondary School, Essi College, Ogbe-Ijoh Secondary School as well as Government Day Care, Warri South Local Government Area.
Bebenimibo however lamented that the people in the coastal part of the state were really suffering before the foundation came to their rescue in the area of health care programmes as well as educational projects . He therefore urged the state government to come to the aid of these communities which, according to him, lack all the basic necessities of life.
