Member of Parliament for Ngoketunjia South (Balikumbat) in the North West region, Hon. Banmi Emmanuel, has handed over a fully equipped Primary Healthcare Facility to the Baligashu Development Association (BADA).
This was during a ceremony held under the watchful eyes of the Fon of Baligashu, His Royal Majesty Fon Doh Gah Wulubi II, and attended by traditional authorities, community leaders and residents.
The facility is designed to serve as the first line of defense against preventable illness in the community, equipped to handle routine medical examinations, vaccinations and initial triage.
It also features dedicated space for antenatal consultations and basic emergency pediatric care, with essential medical equipment and furniture delivered to enable immediate operational readiness — ending years of residents trekking long distances over difficult terrain for basic medical attention.
Speaking during the handover, Hon. Banmi emphasized that sustainable development is only achieved when leadership works hand-in-hand with grassroots organs. By transferring operational ownership to BADA, he said, the project guarantees local oversight, community accountability and long-term maintenance. “My role in legislative service… is fundamentally to improve the everyday living standards of my people,” he stated, describing the gesture as another installment in continuous development efforts across the five villages of Balikumbat Subdivision — Balikumbat, Bafanji, Bamunkumbit, Baligashu and Baligansin.
The Fon, represented by his Secretary General, and BADA leadership expressed deep appreciation, noting that the facility aligns with the association’s mission of driving socio-economic progress, unity and self-reliance in the village.
In a related empowerment gesture, 30 youths across the constituency received mobile barbing kits, equipping them to start self-supporting ventures — reinforcing the lawmaker’s dual focus on infrastructure and livelihood support.
“My role is to improve everyday life”
« For too long, our people here have had to travel long distances, over very difficult terrain, just to access basic medical care. A woman in labour, a child with fever, an elderly person needing urgent attention. That is unacceptable in this day and age, and as their representative, I could not sit and watch that continue.
So this health centre is simply me doing my job. My role is to improve the everyday living conditions of my people, and health is at the very foundation of that. I didn’t just build a structure and walk away. We equipped it fully, and more importantly, we handed it over to BADA, because development only lasts when the community itself owns and protects it.
As for the barbing kits, it’s the same philosophy. Empowerment. A young person with a skill and a tool in hand doesn’t need to wait for government; he can start earning today. That’s the kind of independence I want to keep building across Balikumbat, Bafanji, Bamunkumbit, Baligashu and Baligansin. »
Jude Viban, With Field Reports
