Amosun Demolished Kashamuponsored Health Centre

Omooba Risawe

Ogun State Government has demolished a Primary Health Centre at Obada in Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state, a project said to be with approval.

The health centre was said to be undergoing renovation courtesy of Senator Buruji Kashamu, a serving senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the national assembly.

It is on record that Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Buruji Kashamu are in the position parties, All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, respectively.

The health facility was on Tuesday pulled down by the agents of the state government supervised by Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye and chairman, Ijebu North, Mr. Adebayo Adekoya.
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The local government chairman while speaking with journalists, said the senator goofed by not seeking approval from the state or the local government before embarking on the project.

Adekoya further alleged that the contractor working on the site, chased out staff and patients from the hospital, in addition to throwing out medical equipment and putting them by the roadside.

He said “About two weeks ago, there was a signboard that was erected around the health centre and it was reported to me and I said, no problem if anyone wants to put up any building they will inform us’.
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Adekoya added “But to our surprise on Friday, immediately after the closing hours,  they started pulling down the health centre without notification. When they reported to me I was not around thinking that letter for approval might be on the way but I never saw any notice or letter, only to discover that they had already began    reconstruction on the facility’.

“There is no harm in doing a constituency project ‎but the structure in question is under my jurisdiction (Obada health centre)”,he emphasised

Speaking further, Adekoya however, denied the claim that the facility was abandoned necessitating its renovation.

Kashamu in reaction said he received with rude shock the news of the demolition of the facility which he said part of his constituency projects.

He said in a statement issued by his media aide, Austin Okoyor that he vehemently condemned the act, stressing that government should have considered the interest of the people

‘We condemn this act in its entirety because we think that the APC-led state and local government officials should have put the interest of the people beyond and above any other consideration’,Kashamu said.

‘We did not encroach on the property or vandalise anything as being erroneously spread by agents of the APC-led government. We strongly believe that governance is more about the welfare of the people and not procedures and interests, be it political or otherwise’, he emphasised.

‘Even if they said they already had plans to fix the facility, why pull it down because of some flimsy excuses? One would have expected them to either encourage anyone who takes the initiative to fix it or at least compete with him by building another and better facility and not to pull down the one being built, all in the name of politics. At the end of the day, it is the people that will bear the brunt of this executive lawlessness’.

‘While sympathise with the APC-led State and local governments and empathise with the people of Ijebu Igbo and its environs, we will not be deterred in our resolve to continually improve on the condition of the people’, the statement stated.