Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Edo State Governor, has described the recent commissioning of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City by former Governor Godwin Obaseki as a scam.
Okpebholo made this statement during an inspection of the hospital’s facilities alongside his Deputy Governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole.
He noted that construction work at the facility is still ongoing and that several pieces of equipment were yet to be procured by the previous administration before it hastily commissioned the project as completed.
The governor assured the public that his administration would address the structural defects at the hospital to better serve the people.
“After inspecting the facilities, it is clear that nothing substantial was done here by the Obaseki-led administration.
They merely painted the building and installed air conditioners to deceive the public into believing the building was completed.
I don’t know what Obaseki and the PDP government thought they were doing,” Okpebholo said.
“This is a scam. Construction was still ongoing when the building was commissioned. It is unacceptable, unfair, and a disservice to the people of Edo State.
We will revisit this project, engage the contractor, and ensure it is properly completed for the benefit of Edo people,” he added.
Dr. Oshiomhole, who accompanied the governor on the inspection, stated that the contractor has many explanations to provide regarding the project.
“His Excellency has reviewed the work, and we must have serious discussions with the consultant and contractor.
We expected the project to be near completion by now, but it feels like an abandoned building on some fronts,” Dr. Oshiomhole remarked.
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He added, “This building was politically commissioned by the last administration, but upon inspection, it is clear that significant work remains undone.
There are also structural defects that require immediate correction, which we have already brought to the contractor’s attention.
A team of doctors, surgeons, and other medical experts accompanied me during the visit to provide their professional input, and their observations will be taken into account as we move forward.”
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