ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has described the recent commissioning of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City by his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, as a “scam.”
He claimed that the building was far from completed and lacked the necessary medical equipment when it was inaugurated.
During an inspection of the hospital on Tuesday evening, Governor Okpebholo, accompanied by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, pledged to address the structural flaws and reposition the hospital to serve the people effectively.
“After inspecting the facilities, it is clear that nothing was done here by the Obaseki-led administration.
“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.
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“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”, Okpebholo said.
Dr. Oshiomhole, who guided the governor through the facility, expressed disappointment over the state of the project.
He highlighted numerous defects and questioned the contractor’s approach.
“His Excellency has gone round to see the work, and we have a lot of talking to do with the consultant and contractor because we thought that by now, the work would have been almost ready,” Oshiomhole explained.
“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.
“I came here with a team of doctors, surgeons, and other medical experts so that they would have their input, and there were some structural defects we saw. We alerted the contractor, who promised to correct those errors”, he said.
Governor Okpebholo reassured the public of his administration’s commitment to ensuring the hospital meets the required standards.
A statement from his office indicated that the governor would engage the contractor to address all outstanding issues and ensure the hospital is completed for the benefit of Edo residents.
Meanwhile, the inspection and criticisms come amid heightened scrutiny of past projects in Edo State as Okpebholo’s administration seeks to prioritize accountability and efficient service delivery.