By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the alleged abandonment of the Bori General Hospital in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, youths of the area under the aegis of Ogoni Youth Development Initiative, OYDI, are now calling on the state governor Nyesom Wike to complete the project before he exits office next week Monday.
The group expressed fears that the project if not completed by the wike administration would be abandoned.
President of the group, Comrade Savior Imeabe Oscar in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, said it was painful that the only healthcare centre in the area is about to be abandoned by the governor.
He said: “It is worrisome that the Khana General Hospital in Bori, the Traditional Headquarters of Ogoni nation, is on the brink of abandonment by the Wike-led administration in the state. This is the only government health facility in Khana but was marked for renovation by this administration. It is painful that the governor, who started the remodeling project on the hospital has refused to complete and commission it as he has been doing in other local governments, especially in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas”.
“It is on record that all the projects Chief Wike started in his LGA has been fully completed, equipped and commissioned for use. But in the case of Ogoni the General Hospital has been forgotten. As we speak, work is no longer going on the facility. We understand that the governor will want to transfer the responsibility of the completion of the project to his successor. Why must it be such sensitive project in Ogoniland?
They called on the governor to direct the contractors back to site before.
“We are not happy that politicians use Ogoni to perfect their enterprise. We, however, urge the Governor to as a matter of public importance and urgency, order the speedy completion of Bori General Hospital, before living office on Monday,” the group said.
Ogoni ethnic nationality is aware that the state is in its critical time, as we are expecting a smooth transition of power to a new leadership in the state. This very opportunity the Governor of the state, His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Wike, has used to commence a jamboree of commissioning of his said completed projects in the state.
We also know that politicians would always claim that government is continuum, there by, governments and governors use this parlance to liter states with abandon projects.
We recall that Chief Nyesom Wike upon assumption of office has stated that he would not leave any project abandoned in the state. But with what is going on, it appears that His Excellency in his usual way of expressing disdain for Ogoni nation is interested in eating his talk.
It is worrisome that the Khana General Hospital in Bori, the Traditional Headquarters of Ogoni nation, is on the brink of abandonment by the Wike-led administration in the state. This is the only government health facility in Khana but was marked for renovation by this administration. It is painful that the governor, who started the remodeling project on the hospital has refused to complete and commission it as he has been doing in other local governments, especially in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas.
It is on record that all the projects Chief Wike started in his LGA has been fully completed, equipped and commissioned for use. But in the case of Ogoni the General Hospital has been forgotten. As we speak, work is no longer going on the facility. We understand that the governor will want to transfer the responsibility of the completion of the project to his successor. Why must it be such sensitive project in Ogoniland?.
We expected that Ogonis should know that Wike did the remodeling of that hospital, other than, making the incoming administration claim that the Ogoni General Hospital was completed by them.
We are not happy that politicians use Ogoni to perfect their enterprise. We, however, urge the Governor to as a matter of public importance and urgency, order the speedy completion of Bori General Hospital, before living office on Monday. No time is late and the time to make Ogoni happy is now or never.
Savour Oscar Imeabe
President and national President South South Youth Initiative
