By Atafo Igbinedion-
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has labeled the recent commissioning of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital in Benin City by former Governor Godwin Obaseki as a “scam.” According to Okpebholo, the facility remains incomplete, with ongoing construction and unprocured equipment, despite being presented as a finished project by the previous administration.
Speaking during an inspection of the hospital on Tuesday evening, accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Okpebholo pledged to address the structural defects and reposition the hospital to serve the people effectively.
“After inspecting the facilities, it is clear that nothing was truly done here by the Obaseki-led administration. They just painted the building and fixed air conditioners to deceive the people into believing it was completed,” Governor Okpebholo stated.
He added, “This is a sham. Construction was ongoing when he commissioned the building. It’s unacceptable and unfair to the people of Edo State. We will meet with the contractor to address these issues and ensure the hospital is properly commissioned for Edo people.”
Dr. Oshiomhole, who guided the Governor through the inspection, expressed disappointment at the state of the project and criticized the contractor’s handling of the work.
“His Excellency has seen the state of things here, and it’s evident that this project was politically commissioned without completion. On one side, it looks like an abandoned building. There are structural defects, and we have raised these concerns with the contractor,” Oshiomhole explained.
He also revealed that a team of doctors, surgeons, and medical experts had been involved in the assessment and highlighted necessary corrections to ensure the hospital’s functionality.
The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring transparency and quality in public projects, emphasizing that such deceptive practices would no longer be tolerated in Edo State.
