New wing of the Central (Specialist) hospital, Benin would in December, 2018 begin rendering services to members of the public.
Edo State governor, Godwin Obeseki recently made the disclosure while inspecting on going building projects in the Capital City.
His administration has started test-running the facility and equipments in preparation for its smooth take-off, he said.
The health facility has been lying waste since two years the former governor of the State, Adams Oshiomhole brought President Muhammadu Buhari to declare it open to members of the public.
But Governor Obaseki over a year ago told Edo people that his administration won’t be able to operate the facility.
This he said was due to paucity of funds, and peculiar state of the hospital.
Hence, the administration would be partnering the private sector for optimum operation of the hospital for the benefit of the people.
Though, the terms, modalities of the partnership, and identity of the partners have not been unveiled.
However, the Governor said that a lot of departments will be moved from the old buildings to the new wing of the hospital while some of the old buildings will be refurbished to house the State’s Primary Healthcare Board.
“We have set up a Primary Healthcare Board, separate from the Hospital Management Board.”
Also, his administration is doing everything possible to ensure that the on going construction of the High Court extension is completed by end of the year, he asserted.
“We have received feedback from judges that will use the facilities and we are incorporating their feedbacks and reactions into the design to enable the contractor make the necessary adjustments before leaving the site,” the Governor said.
On the office of the Accountant General, Obaseki said; “We saw the abandoned building at foundation level, we looked at the design, redesigned it and commenced the construction which will now house the office of the Accountant General and will be called Treasury House, on completion.”
He assured that his administration would ensure that there are world class facilities for workers in the state to ensure efficient service delivery.
