By NAN Report
These are not the best of times for the All Progressives Congress National Chairman and immediate past governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. The reason for his discomfort is the decision of Governor Godwin Obaseki to probe the controversial so-called 5-Star Central Hospital he constructed in Benin City during his Eight-Year tenure.
According to reports by the News Agency of Nigeria, the state Government says it will probe contracts for the construction of the building as well as the supply of equipment for the yet to be opened Benin Central Hospital which Oshiomhole allegedly awarded to a ‘Front Company’ owned by his long-time female friend.
Only recently, Edo State Government revealed that the structural work of the hospital was suspect, even as sections of the building, is showing signs of early deterioration.
Emergency repairs were on-going to stop the leakages from the collapsing roof by workers, when Midwest Herald Community Newspaper visited the hospital last Saturday.
The decision to probe Adams Oshiomhole by Edo State Government was made public in a statement released this Sunday by Mr Cruise Osage, Special Adviser to Edo Governor on Media and Communication Strategy.
He assured that a Commission of enquiry would soon be constituted to probe the contracts.
According to the spokesman, government was compelled to carry out the probe because of “numerous calls to look into the contracts in which billions of taxpayers’ money were expended on poorly executed projects under the regime of Adams Oshiomhole, past Governor and incumbent APC National Chairman.”
Part of the mandate of the Commission of Enquiry is to ascertain if details of contract terms were strictly followed, especially the quality of materials used for the building. In addition, Osagie said the Commission of Enquiry would equally determine the extents of irregularities that surrounded the purchase of hospital equipment as well as unravel why the equipment the state paid for are yet to be supplied.
The whole essence of the probe is to “investigate allegations of fraud and irregularities in the contract for procurement of the hospital equipment.
“The contractors who handled the building have questions to answer including the shoddy jobs done among others.” The Special Adviser said.
Cross sections of residents in Edo State have expressed joy that Government was finally ready to probe the project that has been wrapped in unbelievable secrets throughout the five years the construction lasted.