The Edo State Chapter of the All Progressive Congress(APC) on Wednesday carpeted the Edo State Governor,Mr Godwin Obaseki, saying the Governor behaves as if he is campaigning for office,even when he is about concluding his eight years two terms.
The Edo APC Chairman,Col David Imuse (retired) in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen in Benin City,Edo State, said that it’s on record that Obaseki has lost focus, as he frequently engages in campaign-like activities, especially when addressing large crowds.
He said,the governor often discuss long term developmental plan that spans 50 to 100 years in a state he has been governor for almost seven years and is due to leave office in the next few months now.
The statement reads in part:
“My attention has been drawn to the submission by Our Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki that it will take 20 or 30 years for his fictional healthcare reforms in our state to materialize.
“It is on record that Mr Godwin Obaseki has lost focus, as he frequently engages in campaign-like activities, especially when addressing large crowds. However, he seems to overlook the fact that he currently holds the position of governor and, instead of making promises, the audience wants to hear about the actions he has taken to improve the lives of the people in the state.
“During his speeches, he often discusses a long-term developmental plan spanning 50 to 100 years for a state where he has already been governor for almost seven years and is due to leave office in a few months. Additionally, he proudly highlights his fictional reforms in various sectors of the state’s struggling economy.
“Recently, he claimed that his reforms in the healthcare sectorwill bring the state to where it should be and desires to be in the next 20 to 30 years. However, his assertion that the government’s role is solely to regulate the healthcare industry, rather than being the largest provider, contradicts his previous statement about revamping and strengthening the state’s healthcare system through infrastructure development and capacity building.
“Despite celebrating his supposed achievements, Governor Obaseki admitted his failure when he mentioned that his government cannot resolve all the health issues they inherited in eight years. Instead, they promised to set a new direction and initiate change to restore Edo to its former state regarding health services.
“Furthermore, the governor claimed to have rebuilt health institutions in the state and improved the face of the healthcare system. However, he failed to explain why he demolished the century-old Central Hospital in Benin City, the state capital, with plans to replace it with a museum. This action only serves as an acknowledgement of his failure, as the healthcare system in Edo State has collapsed under his watch. Primary and secondary healthcare centers are in deplorable conditions, and healthcare workers operate in unhealthy environments, facing issues such as unpaid hazard allowances, non-payment of minimum wages to doctors, the discontinuation of residency programs, poor working conditions, and a lack of funds to operate the hospitals.”
The party decried the deplorable state of the state owned health care facilities including the demolished Central Hospital, Benin City.
Imuse continued,”Governor Obaseki is aware of the dire state of state-owned hospitals, with nauseating conditions, lack of basic facilities, dilapidated buildings, inadequate furniture and fittings, absence of a reliable power supply, and scarcity of water. Instead of continuing his campaign efforts, he should focus on addressing these pressing issues.”
