All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the alleged plans by the Edo State Government, under the leadership of Godwin Obaseki, to demolish the Central hospital on Sapele Road in Benin, the State’s capital, for a motor park.
Gatekeepers News reports that the APC, in a statement made available on Tuesday by its assistant State Publicity Secretary, Victor Osehobo, described the alleged plan as an ‘evil plot’ which is ‘unacceptable’.
The statement titled ‘Demolition of Central Hospital for whatever reason is unacceptable,’ read in part: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress in Edo state has been drawn to the planned demolition on November 1, 2021, of the Central Hospital, Benin City by the Peoples Democratic Party government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“The plot is to convert this over 100-year-old legacy asset of all Edo people into a motor park. Whereas the government thinks it has this evil plot under wraps, the disgusting plan is already in the court of public opinion.
“The APC sees no wisdom in this move and is therefore urging the government to immediately put a stop to it.
“The reason advanced by the government for the proposed demolition of the hospital, which is to make way for an ultra-modern motor park to decongest the city centre and ultimately generate additional revenue for the state it has mismanaged its resources, is not only weird and evil but also unacceptable.”
In its response, the State Government denied the plan to demolish the hospital, saying it was only relocating it because the facilities in it are old and do not support “modern-day medical service delivery.”
“The attention of the Edo State Government has been drawn to a malicious and false statement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, alleging that the government plans to demolish the Central Hospital in Benin City.
“The government is not demolishing, but relocating the Hospital. Besides, we have the ultra-modern Edo Specialist Hospital within the same premises. The Central Hospital has been in existence for over 100 years and most of the facilities there are now very old and do not support modern-day healthcare service delivery.
“The Hospital is now being relocated to the Stella Obasanjo Hospital which is being expanded and improved to deliver quality health services to Edo people, while the old Central Hospital will be transformed.
“Edo people, on September 19, 2020, gave Governor Godwin Obaseki a mandate under the Making Edo Great Again (MEGA) Manifesto to develop Edo State.
“The ongoing infrastructural development and institutional reforms are the second and third thematic pillars, respectively, of the MEGA Manifesto of the present administration. So, there is no retreat or surrender on the developmental mandate freely given by Edo people to our beloved Governor.
“The general public is hereby urged to disregard the propaganda by the opposition in the state that is rudderless and aimed at creating an issue, where none exists,” the State Commissioner for Communications and Orientation, Andrew Emwanta said.
