Mr Godwin Osonwa, a Lagos-based industrialist from Anambra State, says he has invested over N50 million in building and equipping healthcare and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres in Obunagu-Amikwo, Awka, to improve the lives of residents.
Osonwa said the investment was not politically motivated but driven by a desire to give back to society and improve the community where he grew up.
He made this known in an interview with reporters in Awka on Wednesday.
According to him, access to healthcare and quality education ranks high on his priorities, noting that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo is committed to building lasting legacies across all sectors of Anambra’s economy.
“I was inspired by the leadership commitment of the governor and resolved to key into the state’s ‘Think Home Philosophy’.
“I believe government alone cannot meet all the needs of the people, which is why I decided to partner with the state, particularly in healthcare and education,” he said.
Osonwa recalled that as a child, his late mother, Esther Osonwa, often trekked long distances to access medical care whenever family members fell ill.
“Healthcare was top of my mind, just as schools were not within close reach in those days. These experiences guided my decision to embark on my first major social intervention in the community,” he said.
He said the health facility, built in Obunagu-Amikwo community in Awka South Local Government Area, was designed to bridge the gap in access to healthcare services, regardless of time or circumstance.
Osonwa explained that the health centre, which commenced operations in 2023 under the Manari Osonwa Foundation, was handed over to the Anambra State Government on April 29, 2025, and named the Manari Osonwa Primary Health Centre (PHC) in honour of his late mother.
He added that the state government provided significant support by deploying qualified medical personnel and essential working tools, enabling the delivery of free and quality healthcare services.
“We have doctors on ground, vaccines, solar-powered vaccine refrigerators, modern delivery beds, beddings, water supply, telemedicine facilities and other medical equipment.
“The presence of government in this facility shows that the state supports individuals who are genuinely committed to community development,” he said.
Osonwa said the Commissioner for Health, Mr Afam Obidike, facilitated the integration of the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme into the facility, making access to free healthcare easier for residents.
“I am grateful that God used me, with government support, to put smiles on the faces of sick people in the community where I grew up,” he added.
On education, Osonwa said the foundation established an ICT centre to train primary and secondary school pupils in the community.
“Government has built schools closer to the people, so I decided to complement this effort by establishing an ICT centre to make students digitally compliant before they get to university.
“If they are computer literate in the village, they can compete favourably with their peers in urban areas and sit for computer-based examinations without fear,” he said.
He said the foundation employs instructors to train willing pupils six days a week after school hours and during long vacations, at no cost to beneficiaries.
Osonwa added that qualified trainees are empowered with free laptops every April to help them sustain their learning, noting that another batch of beneficiaries would graduate this April.
He expressed gratitude to the community for providing land for the health and ICT centres and said residents from neighbouring communities, including Amaenyi, Umuzuocha and Umudioka, also participate in the ICT training.
Osonwa further disclosed that the Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT, Mr Fred Agbata, strengthened the programme by deploying qualified ICT personnel to support training activities.
“The health and ICT centres of the Manari Osonwa Foundation are where private passion meets public purpose.
“I urge eligible residents to take advantage of the free healthcare, ICT training and incentives available at the end of the programme,” he said.
Osonwa is an industrialist involved in the supply of building materials and solar energy solutions.
