The king of Twon Brass and first military Governor of the old Rivers State, HRM King Alfred Diete Spiff wishes that all states in the federal republic of Nigeria own a cancer centre that will treat cancer.
The king said this on Saturday June 16, 2012 at the Alfred Diette Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt while declaring the launching of Port Harcourt Cancer Centre open adding that cancer is the most dreaded, killer disease on earth.
The Amanyanabo of Brass identified smoking as one of the causes of cancer and said that oil/gas explorations in Rivers State pose another threat. He advised that people should stop smoking and that urgent measures be taken to make sure that Port Harcourt residents stay free from cancer.
He noted that Dr. Stephen Roxenberg in 1985 was the first to make research on the treatment of cancer and called on all to support research towards that.
In his speech the chairman of the Port Harcourt Cancer Centres (PHCC) Board of Trustee (BOT) Barr. O.C.J Okocha, SAN, introduced members of the board as people that have sympathy on victims of cancer and those whose relatives in one way or the other, suffered and died of the sickness and are out to lead the fight against cancer.
He traced how cancer killed since ages and called for an all-out support for the building of the PHCC.
In a special presentation, the Servant/Coordinator of the project, Rev. Canon Kin Egwunwu gave reasons why Port Harcourt was chosen for the project. He said, it was due to the greater risk Port Harcourt faced in hydrocarbon emissions due to oil/gas explorations confirmed by the United Nations Environmental (UNEP) 2011 reports.
The canon explained facilities to be found in the centre and said it would even include relaxations that would relieve victims naturally in addition to other treatments.
A man of God with several ministerial caps, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, thanked the visioner of the PHCC and members of BOT and said he would pray to God to touch the hearts of the 36 state governors of the federation including the president himself to donate generously to the project the required $63m and more, promising also that he would make impact on the Christian Association Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) churches for support.
He added that Shell and other oil/gas companies who caused this cancer problem should as well be contacted to bring money for the project.
In a special interview with this weekly the wife of the Amanyanabo of Twon Brass HRM Josephine Diete Spiff joined the visioner to encourage Nigerians to donate for the project as what one spends abroad to treat cancer is much less than what he would spend here if the centre is successfully erected here.
She encouraged that since it is all emblazing one should make a choice and key into any of the areas as shone, saying that one could play a role as a foundation partner as a donor, ambassador and advocate.
She further stated that one could support by text cancer to 44777 now as much as he could with any network, explaining that this would take only N100 and she has supported the project. ###
Mene Gbarabe
