By Rufus Ibebe
LAGOS JANUARY 2ND (URHOBOTODAY)-Travelling through Warri-Ughelli express road from Warri axis just after Agbarho what attracts you is arrays of housing complex that has not only been over grown with weeds and it had become haven to dangerous reptiles, animals and criminals who terrorizing passengers travelling along the ever busy Warri-Ughelli express road.
When the foundation stone of the multi-million naira hospital was laid some years ago, the joy of indigenes of Agbarho town, in Ughelli North local government of Delta State, both home and abroad, knew no bounds.
The community had high hopes that the hospital project would not only bring access to healthcare closer to their doorsteps, but also provide employment opportunity to the teeming youth of Agbarho and neighbouring communities.
“We expected that the project will boost economic activities in this area and put the name of Agbarho on the world map,” Godspower Emunotor, one of the contractors on the project disclosed.
The hospital project was an initiative of Nkoyo Ibori, wife of the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori. Mrs. Ibori jailed by a British court for defrauding the people of Delta State. Her husband, Chief James Ibori is also serving prison term in London for money laundering offence.
Ironically, the project which was completed in a jiffy was never commissioned nor put to public use. Reptiles and other animals have taken over the wards and theatres where the lives of children and their mothers were supposed to be getting saved, as the hospital site is now a forest, overgrown with elephant grass.
But there were divergent opinions from the people of Agbarho on why the project is abandoned. A community elder, who refused to be quoted for the report, claimed that leaders of the community mobilised to stop the project when they discovered that Mrs. Ibori’s intention was not pure.
“She was accused of trying to convert the hospital to her private property, whereas the project was funded through government money and other donor agencies, including oil companies,” the man told Urhobotoday.
The hospital premises was converted to a hostel for repentant militants, who were accommodated there with the aim of using the place as a training centre for these former fighters who embraced the amnesty programme of the federal government. The centre was, however, closed down as the militants were later moved to Cross River State.
Daniel Akpobo, a resident of Agbarho town, however, expressed unhappiness that the hospital project was abandoned. He frowned at what he called ‘Nigerian factor.’
“This is a situation which government spends so much money on projects, only to abandon it when the project could have benefited the general public, especially the less privileged,” he said.
Others who spoke to our correspondent on the abandoned hospital called on the state government to put the hospital to use. They are of the opinion that the governor, who is a medical doctor, should know what good could be accomplished if the hospital is functioning, more so that there is a shortfall in health care delivery system in the state.