Mr Austin Avuru
By Stephen Andrew
Health is wealth and wealth was said to be meaningless if it cannot add to the public growth. This could be part of what motivated the decision of Mr Austin Avuru, the CEO Austin Avuru Foundation and Managing Director of Seplat Petroleum 
Development Company to establish and donate a Multi-million naira Catholic Hospital at Abbi Community in Ndokwa West of Delta state.
The Austin Avuru foundation which has been known for its philanthropic gestures, got to its peak with the building, equipping and handling over of the 60 bed hospital to the
Catholic Diocese of Warri, With his lordship Bishop John Afereha naming it as the Catholic Hospital Abbi, and pledging to run the hospital efficiently using a management board in the true spirit of the Catholic mission.
The official dedication of the hospital which started with a Church service at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Abbi, later carried a festive look with the emergence of various dignitaries from far and near, and celebration amongst members of the Community who said that the project was life changing.
Mr Avuru who also contributed to the building and mentainance of the Catholic Church where the event was held, was described by dignitaries as a patriotic man who can go out of his way to help humanity.
While addressing newsmen on what informed his decision to upgrade the status of the Community with such project, Mr Avuru noted that wealth or value is meaningless if it can’t be applied for public use and therefore urge others to emulate such gestures. Just as he also pledge to imbibe maintenance culture on the project as he has done to other he donated to the Community.
The Archbishop of Warri Diocese BishopJohn Afereha while congratulating Mr Avuru described the project as what can only be given to God and prayed for God to bless and reward him.
The Commissioner of Commerce and industry Mr Kingsley Emu who represented Senator Ifeanyi Okowa at the event, also noted that what Mr Avuru has done was worthy of emulating as it was quite inspiring. Describing the facilities in the hospital as a modern and state of the art facilities. And urged the Catholic mission to ensure effective management on the project.
While urging the Community members to utilize and maintain the property, the former Permanent secretary on health of the state, and a representative of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at the event, noted that such projects were part of what Governor Uduaghan has
started since he assumed office. Saying that the health indices has improved since he took over, with the reduction of maternal mortality, HIV and aids amongst others. He urged the Austin Avuru foundation to replicate such philanthropic gestures in other Communities.
In the same vein, the Chairman PDP Okpe Local Government Chief Cosmos Ughoraye also noted that the kind of project was what every human was supposed to do.
“A clinic like this is what some Government do and see as a major project but here you see just one man doing it for his people and we thank God for that and I pray for God’s blessing upon him so that he can keep doing what he does.”
Other dignitaries present at the event included the commissioner for Agriculture Prof Patrick Muiboghare, Former Commissioner for Power and Energy Mr Charles Emetulu, Commissioner for Oil and Gas Hon Mofe Pira amongst other top political officers and royal fathers.
After the official Commissioning of the edifice by the representative of the Governor and the Bishop, the Community members were seen bursting into celebration at the new residence of Mr Avuru.
Following the huge benefit that will come to them through the project.
Apart from the health benefit of the project, as there were no general hospital in the Community before now and the clean and portable water that comes with it, it is also expected to provide about 500 jobs for the Community member if they can key into it.
The wife of Mr Avuru, Mrs Victoria Avuru who could not hide her joy over the establishment of the project, told newsmen that although the project took three years of hard work to be completed, it was eventually worth it at the end.
“Am happy it turned out this way, because we had to go all the way to Abraka to seek medical care but now that will be a thing of the past”. She concluded.
Also speaking at the occasion, sister to the donor, Mrs Beatrice Nwanwene described the project as a welcome one for the Abbi community, and called on the catholic church to see that the running of the hospital is kept to standard.
The occasion was also used to open the new country home of Mr Austin Avuru, who in a recent interview with the Oil & Gas Magazine said that to achieve the mandate for the product, over the years had being setting aside 20% of his monthly salary. It also be recalled that in November 2014, Mr Avuru built and donated the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Abbi.
Also, in preparing for the occasion, the foundation also carried out a free medical services in the area of general health, surgery and Eye treatment for three days.
