Fawaz Adebisi
Following the report by PLATFORMTIMES on the plight of the residents of Olomore community in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, who have been living without a functional health center for 16 years, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, has finally disbursed equipment to the abandoned hospital.
The equipment, which was part of a federal government project awarded in 2007, was delivered by a contractor, Mathan Nigeria Limited on Monday.
However, the equipment and the building were found to be obsolete and vandalized, sparking outrage among the community members and the local government officials.
The chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Prince Samson Ayorinde, said that he was not informed of the delivery and that he had no inventory of what should be brought.
He said that the contractor did not deserve any payment, lamenting that awarding 774 projects to one company from Abuja was wrong.
He said that he had arranged for security personnel, in collaboration with the community, to guard the place and prevent the equipment from being stolen.
“Unfortunately, we don’t even have an inventory of what should be brought. But at least, let us take ownership of what they brought, go through it if it is right. So that tomorrow they won’t say they’ve handed over a world class equipment, building to us,” Ayorinde said.
Highlights of the materials disbursed are; Tables (135x76x76cm), Top Plywood With Capping Wood, Leg 2″ S3 Wood, Left-2 Drawers With Key, Armchairs (60x60cm), Wood-(2″x 2), Seat And Back Padded With Black Leatherette, Benches-6ft, Sitting-18″, Wood-1″x3″, Seat And Back Padded With Black Leatherette, Plastic Chairs, KVA John Holt Generator With Sound Proof, among others.
The contractor’s representative, Hon Ayodele Adeyinka, said that the contract was awarded during Obasanjo regime and that he was only responsible for bringing the materials to where they have constructed already.
He blamed the local government for not taking care of the building and allowing it to be vandalized.
He said that he was called unexpectedly, on Saturday, to bring down the materials, adding that he was surprised to see the place bushy and vandalized.
He stressed that this project was being handled by ALGON.
The Public Relations Officer of the Community Development Council (CDC), and the LG supervisor for works, Hon Kabir Ayoola, said that they were not carried along in the process and that they only learned about it on Monday.
He lamented how they found most of the equipment obsolete and covered with dust.
He said that they would receive it and do whatever they needed to do over it but that they were not happy with the shoddy job done by the contractor.
He also stressed that they were doing the weeding and everything to kick start the development, adding that they would employ security men to safeguard the equipment.
The residents of Olomore community have however expressed their gratitude to PLATFORMTIMES for bringing their situation to public attention and called on the relevant authorities to intervene and provide them with a functional health center.
They said that they have been suffering from lack of access to quality health care for too long and that they deserve better from their government.
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