…Upgrades PHC To Cottage Hospital
By Adeniyi Adedeji, Ilorin
A public dispensary converted to a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secretariat by the former regime has been reversed by the Kwara State government.
Government is also said to be working towards rebuilding and equipping the dispensary that has been used for purposes it was not meant for over some years.
The dispensary, located at Ubandanwaki area in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state, had attracted wide condemnation against its convention by the then government, which was roundly described as an abuse of office.
The dispensary, according to sources, was one of the health facilities that were constructed across the state by the late Governor (Admiral) Muhammed Lawal in 2003.
However, it ceased to serve the purpose for which it was built, when the government of Senator Bukola Saraki allegedly gifted it to the PDP as its secretariat, which his (Saraki’s) opponents described as part of his ‘anti-Lawal policies.’
Dr. Mohamned Ghali, who led a government delegation to inspect the facility said, “Today, this facility has regained its status and the government has now directed that it should be renovated and be used for its original purpose.
“The whole world was shocked when politicians converted this health facility to their secretariat but nobody could challenge the impunity. We thank God for a new dawn.”
Dr Ghali, who was accompanied by Alhaji Abdulrazaq Jiddah, said the government had also directed the conversion of the Pakata Primary Health Centre, which used to an Out-patient Department, OPD, in Ipata-Oloje area of Ilorin to a standard Cottage Hospital with a Maternity and Children ward in line with the original plan said to be dated back to the 1970s.
The OPD was said to have been conceived on 5th November, 1971 under the late A.G.F Abdul-Razaq SAN; father of the governor to metamorphose to a cottage hospital and serve as an alternative to the now congested Children Hospital in Centre Igboro (Ilorin); an idea that was later abandoned.
The late senior AGF AbdulRazaq, sources said was at the time the Commissioner for Health under the late military governor, (Brigadier-General) David Bamigboye.
Because the facility is a pro-people legacy of his father, it was an emotional scene when the government team announced the decision of the government under AGF’s son to restore the plan to upgrade the centre to the old plan.
“The government is about to start work there very soon as part of its plans to deepen people’s access to basic health care,” Dr. Ghali announced.
