Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has expressed sadness over the tragic death of three medical students of the Abia State University, Uturu.
The students died in a horrifying road accident on the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway while returning to their destinations from the Uturu campus after the induction of their senior colleagues, who had recently graduated from the university.
Two others, who were traveling in the same salon car, survived.
According Otti’s Chief Press Secretary Kazie Uko, the governor regretted that the State lost the three young female medical students at a time government is making serious progress at revamping both the education and health sectors of the state’s economy, which had been in critical state of dilapidation and neglect before he assumed office nine months ago.
“I am deeply saddened by the deaths of these young prospective medical doctors, who, according to reports, were returning from their university’s graduation ceremony. We were all looking forward to them graduating from school and joining their professional colleagues to help us uplift the standard and quality of medical practice in the State.
“This is particularly painful to me because the graduation ceremony they attended was the first since accreditation for the training of doctors was restored to the College of Medicine Abia State University and the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, after over two years of suspension under the previous government in the state.
“I have already dispatched two senior members of the Abia State Government to convey our commiserations and offer of support in this moment of grief to the parents and guardians of the five students involved in the accident, including the two, who survived.
“I would like to further use this medium to express my heart-felt condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of the deceased students, over this tragedy and painful loss.
“I also sympathise with the authorities of Abia State University, Uturu, and pray that the Almighty God will comfort everyone and heal the pain of this tragic incident,” the governor was quoted as saying.
