Daud Olatunji
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, on Saturday commissioned five key infrastructural projects at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, describing the development as a major milestone in the delivery of quality healthcare under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, Dr. Salako—an indigene of Ogun State—stated that the projects were part of a nationwide effort to upgrade facilities and improve service delivery across Federal Tertiary Health Institutions.
He noted that the initiatives form a core part of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme, anchored on improving population health outcomes, enhancing access, and modernizing healthcare infrastructure.
“This commissioning is not just symbolic; it is a concrete demonstration of the Tinubu administration’s people-centred approach to governance,” Salako said.
“We are not celebrating with fanfare but with impactful projects that touch lives directly.”
The five projects unveiled at the ceremony span clinical care, ancillary services, and administrative support.
Among them is a 68-office building to address long-standing complaints by consultants over inadequate workspaces.
The hospital’s bed capacity has also been expanded by 180, addressing overcrowding and improving patient intake.
Others include a new works and maintenance building, a state-of-the-art laundry facility aimed at improving hospital hygiene, and other support structures.
The projects were named in honour of distinguished Nigerians including Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, former Governor Olusegun Osoba, the parents of ex-Governor Ibikunle Amosun, and former NSCDC Commandant General Dr. Ade Abolurin.
Salako also announced that seven additional projects nearing completion at the hospital will be named after other eminent Nigerians who have contributed to the centre’s development.
Recounting similar initiatives across the country, Salako said he had recently commissioned ten projects in three tertiary institutions in Enugu and supervised the virtual commissioning of advanced cancer treatment equipment at facilities in Ilorin, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
He disclosed that the Coordinating Minister of Health also commissioned ten major projects at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital last week.
“These interventions are part of a nationwide strategy to modernize our healthcare system and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign medical services,” he added, stressing the President’s ambition to reverse medical tourism and transform the country into a global destination for quality healthcare.
Dr. Salako also applauded FMC Abeokuta’s management for introducing a new staff welfare scheme to ease transportation challenges, and urged the institution to maximize the utility of the new infrastructure in enhancing patient care.
“Physical structures are not an end in themselves. What matters most is the impact they make on patient outcomes and staff efficiency,” he said.
He highlighted the Federal Government’s broader health agenda, including the upgrade of at least two primary health centres per ward by 2027, improved training for frontline workers, and the revitalization of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
He also revealed that over 15,000 healthcare workers had been recruited in the past year to bolster service delivery across 61 tertiary hospitals nationwide.
While commending Ogun State Government for supporting the hospital with an enabling environment, Dr. Salako took time to honour the outgoing Medical Director of FMC Abeokuta, Prof. Musa Olomu, who will be completing his tenure in a week.
He lauded Olomu’s eight-year leadership and service to the institution, noting that his legacy will not be forgotten.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Salako pledged continued support from the Federal Government to ensure that FMC Abeokuta continues to grow and fulfill its mandate of delivering top-class tertiary healthcare services.
“The future of healthcare in Nigeria is bright under the Renewed Hope Agenda. As your son and supervising Minister, I am personally committed to ensuring FMC Abeokuta remains a beacon of medical excellence,” he concluded.
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