Former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has vehemently rejected Senator Monday Okpebholo’s assertions that the renovated Stella Obasanjo Hospital was inadequately addressed prior to its rushed inauguration. He labeled Okpebholo’s statements as childish, absurd, and immature.
In a statement released by his media aide, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki accused Okpebholo of orchestrating a scheme to evade payments to the contractors responsible for the project. He alleged that high-ranking officials in the Okpebholo administration, whose identities he did not disclose, are currently negotiating unfairly with these contractors, demanding up to 30 percent of the total owed as kickbacks before any payments are made.
Osagie further stated, “At the conclusion of Obaseki’s tenure, approximately N30 billion was left in state coffers, a sum more than adequate to settle contractor dues and fulfill other pressing state obligations. However, the Okpebholo administration is avoiding these payments, redirecting funds instead to appease political godfathers and influential figures who assisted in his ascension to office.”
He urged Edo citizens to take note of what he called the theatrics surrounding the Stella Obasanjo Hospital Project, warning that it is merely a tactic to misappropriate funds intended for the project in order to pay political allies.
Osagie also pointed out the Okpebholo administration’s alleged plan to mislead the public into believing that the hospital lacks equipment so they can allocate new funds for a facility that is already fully equipped.
He called on the people of Edo to stand against what he termed a heist and to prevent Okpebholo and his associates from misappropriating their collective resources.
“It is crucial to categorically state that the claim regarding the incomplete state of the Stella Obasanjo Hospital is an outright falsehood that must be challenged by all conscientious Edo citizens. This is yet another deceptive ploy by the ineffective and incompetent governor-select, Monday Okpebholo, aimed at robbing the people of Edo State and Nigeria. We must unite to thwart this daylight robbery,” Osagie asserted.
He explained that hospitals typically consist of two primary components: the Outpatient Department (OPD) and the Inpatient Department (IPD). According to him, both departments at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, inaugurated by Obaseki, are completed, fully equipped, and operational.
Osagie noted that a management agreement has been established between the State Government and a management firm to oversee the hospital due to the advanced nature of the installed equipment. This agreement also includes the training of health sector civil servants to proficiently handle the hospital’s sophisticated technologies.
He acknowledged that the only structures still under construction within the hospital complex are the mortuary and administrative buildings, which will serve as a medical hub for all healthcare-related activities in Edo, akin to other specialized hubs in the state.
“Rather than visiting the completed outpatient and inpatient departments, the governor-select opted to linger around the administrative building, which is the sole section still under construction, in an attempt to gain cheap political points. Despite staff efforts to guide him into the operational sections, he declined,” Osagie added.
He reminded Okpebholo that spreading baseless lies will not garner him the support of Edo citizens, who are aware of the truth and will not be swayed by his manipulative tactics. Osagie urged him to cease the dissemination of falsehoods and focus on genuine plans for the state’s development instead.
