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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has asked Governor Gboyega Oyetola to apologise to the people of the state for mismanaging $20 million health care grant.
The party in a statement by its acting chairman, Elder Sunday Atidade, on Thursday, said the Oyetola-led administration should explain to people of the state how the grant was spent, rather than insulting those who were asking questions.
“They owe the people of the state explanations on how the $20 million World Bank grant meant to revitalise primary health care sector in the state was utilised. The governor should instruct whoever he saddled with the so called revitalisation of the health centers to publish locations of the 256 completed health centers across the wards as claimed.
“As a matter of fact and in this period of covid-19 pandemic, it would be nice to have 256 units state-of-the-art completed PHCs available for health care needs of Osun populace as claimed by the state government, but such fortunate communities in the 332 wards in Osun State should be spelt out in clear terms for public scrutiny,” Atidade said.
The lawmaker representing Osun East senatorial district, Senator Francis Fadahunsi had recently claimed that the state received N9 billion World Bank health care grant with nothing to show for it.
The state government, however, described the claim as bogus and outlandish.
The government in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Ismail Omipidan said: “There was no N9bn grant anywhere. What we have is a grant of $20m from the World Bank following our impressive performance under the ‘Saving One Million Lives Programme for Result’, which the CBN converted about two years ago, at the prevailing exchange rate in that year, which at best was N305. To show transparency and accountability, the said amount is domiciled with the CBN and releases are made only when they satisfy the World Bank procurement process.”
Omipidan noted that of the 332 Primary Health Centers to be rehabilitated, the administration has awarded 315, adding that 256 have been fully equipped and are up and running.
“In Fadahunsi’s Ijesa area alone, we have inaugurated 47 PHCs. Specifically, in Obokun Local Government Area, where the lawmaker comes from, five of the PHCs are up and running,” Omipidan added.