Ukrainians to give 1 million Nigerians free medical care

By Mohammed S. Shehu

A group of Ukrainian tourists currently in Nigeria have promised to offer free medical care to one million Nigerians as part of their contributions to the development of medical tourism in Nigeria.

The group made up of professionals disclosed this yesterday during a courtesy visit to the Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDO, Otunba Runsawe, in Abuja.

The leader of the group, a Nigerian born Ukrainian pastor, Sunday Adelaja, said the visit to Nigeria was to help strengthen the relationship between the two countries and also to offer the Ukrainians the opportunity to have firsthand information about Nigeria.

Adelaja who operates one of the biggest churches in Ukraine said he intended to bring in more tourists as part of his contributions to the ’Tourism is Life’ initiative of the federal govemment and open doors for collaboration between the two countries. He also highlighted areas of humanitarian assistance, training in value and virtues for Nigerian civil servants, micro-finance and investment as some of the key areas he believed the Ukrainians could offer to Nigeria.

"I am glad with the way you received us. It is a sign of Nigeria’s total commitment to the development of tourism. If it were other politicians, they would behave as if we are here to steal from them. Thank God you are setting the phase," he said.

Adelaja also called on the federal government to wave visa for foreign tourists wishing to come to Nigeria as a away of opening the country to international tourists.

He appealed to NTDC boss to also organise a visit to Ukraine to enable the federal government to study areas of benefits to Nigeria.

Narrating how he was able to establish himself in Ukraine, Adelaja said he left Nigeria in 1986 for the former Soviet Union and since then, he has been operating as evangelist, and now established Embassy of God Church in Kiev, one of the biggest churches in Europe.

Responding, Runsewe described the visit as a sign of recognition of Nigeria as a preferred destination in Africa.

"Over the years, we have done well for people to come to see what we have in Nigeria."

He promised to initiate a bilateral relationship particularly on tourism between the two countries.

Runsewe later took the visitors round the NTDC tourist village and other attractions of Abuja.

Published in “Daily Trust” newspaper, October 24, 2007.