Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has alleged that the commissioning of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City by his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, was fraudulent, describing the facility as incomplete and riddled with structural defects.
Governor Okpebholo, who inspected the hospital on Tuesday evening alongside his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, stated that the Obaseki-led administration had deceived Edo residents by presenting an unfinished building as a completed project.
Speaking during the visit, Okpebholo expressed disappointment at the state of the hospital, claiming that only superficial work, such as painting and the installation of air conditioners, was done before its hasty commissioning.
He said: “After inspecting the facilities, it is clear that nothing was done here by the Obaseki-led administration as they just painted the building and fixed air conditioners to deceive the people into thinking the building was completed.
This is a sham. Construction was ongoing when he commissioned the building. This is unacceptable. It is unfair. It is cheating to Edo people.
“We will come back again to talk with the contractor and see how to commission it properly for Edo people.”
The governor pledged to rectify the hospital’s structural defects and ensure it is equipped and functional to serve the health needs of Edo residents effectively.
Dr. Oshiomhole, who guided the governor during the inspection, echoed his sentiments, emphasizing that the contractor had significant explanations to provide about the project.
“This building was commissioned by the last administration politically, but coming here, it is like an abandoned building at the other side. A lot of explanations need to be done at this point,” the commissioner said.
He added that he visited the facility earlier with a team of medical experts, including doctors and surgeons, who flagged several defects in the building. He noted that the contractor was informed of the issues and had promised to address them.
Governor Okpebholo assured Edo residents of his administration’s commitment to addressing the lapses and repositioning the hospital to deliver quality healthcare services.
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