Governor Monday Okpebholo’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Transition Committee says it has uncovered the sum of N2.5 billion unaccounted donation towards the expanded Stella Obasanjo hospital project in Benin City during the tenure of Godwin Obaseki.
Andrew Adaze Emwanta,
the State former Commissioner for Information and Orientation alleged that the grant which was not captured in the Committee’s Report submitted to Governor Okpebholo team during the handing prior to his inauguration on November 12th 2024, will be probed.
Emwanta made the allegation when he featured on Channels Television interview at the sidelines of Okpebholo’s swearing-in ceremony held at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin City, the State Capital.
He said, “we have submitted our Report to Okpebholo. That government will be probed. I am telling you this for free because I served in that government”.
According to him, “The issue of Radisson, that money that the former Governor claimed he used in buying that property from Esama of Benin is overpriced.
“He (Obaseki) has also given out Stella Obasanjo hospital as MoU to a private firm to manage. These are social entities. Sadly, Obaseki has given it to his fiends to manage. So, we are beginning to review all these things.
“So, we want to actually know the cost of Stella Obasanjo hospital because I remembered ‘ASR, Abdulraman’, Rabiu Foundation gave N2.5 billion. But, in the handing over note, that money was not mentioned.
“You know that I served in that government. I have been able to provide some information that has assisted the transition Committee to ask questions because you cannot have a deficit of about N500 billion, and there is little to show for it.
“We have a Benin City Mall that we heard is partly owned by Obaseki. So, all these projects and contracts will be reviewed.
“This is totally unacceptable anywhere in the world. So, we are going to probe him. We are begging him not to escape because wherever he goes to, we are going to use interpol to bring him back to answer questions relating to how he spent Edo State tax payers money”, Emwanta said.
In the mean time, the State government on Wednesday approved the dissolution of the Governing Councils of all state-owned tertiary institutions.
In the same vein, the State governor, Monday Okpebholo also approved the disengagement of the Management Staff of Edo Specialist Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City with immediate effect.
Both approvals were conveyed in a “Government Special Announcement” dated November 20, 2024 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor, Esq.
“It is hereby announced for the information of the General Public that the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo has approved the dissolution of the Governing Councils of all State-owned Tertiary Institutions in Edo State with immediate effect.
“Accordingly, all affected members of the Governing Councils of all State owned Tertiary Institutions are to handover all Government properties in their possession to their respective Heads of the Institutions”.
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