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Gov Mbah’s interest is project driven by both genuine development desires and filial sentiments
From IKECHUKWU NNADI, Nsukka
Call it priority misplacement, lack of political will or even too much of acrimonious politics and you may not be entirely wrong. The abandoned Enugu State International Hospital, now being revisited by Governor Peter, embodies all of the above contradictions, even as it loudly speaks to the lack of clarity and continuity in Enugu governance processes.
The question is, why was the hospital abandoned and, in the first place, how did its conception even fit into the tertiary healthcare delivery plan of Enugu State? Was it conceived as a stand-alone, government-owned hospital or as part of any Enugu-owned institution of higher learning, like a teaching hospital?
Daily Query inquiries revealed an interesting and fascinating side to the project. In the first place, the multimillion naira project, which was started by the Governor Chimaroke Nnamani Administration (1999 – 2007) in 2004 and planned to be completed in 2009 was abandoned midway into the project.
A Daily Query source, who preferred anonymity, recalled that “this ambitious project was started by former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani but was unfortunately left unfinished. Two Governors, Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, didn’t complete it either, leaving the hospital abandoned for nearly 20 years.” Why?
Controversy surrounding the hospital
Like a lot of other things that former Governor Nnamani did in Enugu State, the hospital project was dogged by controversy ab initio. Nnamani built the Nigerian Law School, Enugu and expectedly handed it over to the Nigerian Council for Legal Education. But what institution was the Enugu ‘International Hospital’ hospital attached to? Was it conceived as a newer, state-of-the-art version of the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH)?
When the former Governor cancelled the multi-campus status of the State university and moved the College of Health Sciences at Nsukka to Parklane General Hospital, Enugu and remained (and, well, remodeled it into) ESUTH, did he have the ‘International Hospital’ in mind as a more befitting ESUTH?
The answer is no and Daily Query can now reveal why. The answer is no because, from our findings, the hospital was actually planned as the teaching hospital of the Renaissance University, Ugboka, Enugu State, a private university owned by former Governor Nnamani, which may explain why former Governors Chime and Ugwuanyi left the project uncompleted: obviously, from documents at their disposal when they came into office, it was, to be sure, impolitic for them to complete a project by a predecessor who conceived it as a private project.
“It was not originally built by former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani as an Enugu State asset. He built it as a teaching hospital for his private Renaissance University,” a Daily Query source stressed. “However, the EFCC confiscated it some years ago, though the case was settled some time towards the tail end of former Gov. Ugwuianyi’s administration. Then about last year or early this year, the EFCC handed it over to the state government alongside other recovered assets.”
Enugu government steps in to salvage the project
It was gathered that in September this year, following the
recovery of the project by the State government, Governor Peter Mbah announced plans to revive and complete the hospital.
The 300-bed ultramodern quaternary health facility designed to reverse out-bound medical tourism and position Enugu as a prime destination for healthcare, business, investment, tourism, and residency is expected to be completed in less than two years.
The project, led by Health Commissioner Prof. Emmanuel Obi, is strategically located on Rangers Avenue in Enugu city, ensuring easy access from the international airport.
On Wednesday last week, Governor Mbah officially flagged off the project, with construction already underway. It’s set to be a 13-month project—basically a year.
In his remarks at the official flag-off of the project, Mbah enthused: “This development is going to transform Enugu in ways that will wow everyone.”
Narrating the health and economic impacts of the hospital, Gov. Mbah said “the hospital will directly employ medical and administrative staff, while related sectors like pharmaceuticals, maintenance, and local businesses will benefit from increased demand, creating even more jobs for Enugu residents.
“Enugu will attract patients from neighboring states and beyond, transforming it into a regional healthcare hub. This influx will boost the local economy, as visitors spend on accommodation, food, and other services.
“A high-quality healthcare facility signals progress and development, making Enugu more attractive to investors. This could spark further investments in real estate, infrastructure, and other sectors, accelerating economic growth across the board,” the Governor said.
While this may be a grand, rosy idea, experts are worried that, in the end, it may just become another ‘great, white elephant’.
Said Dr. Chikelu Nweze (not his real name), an ESUTH dentist: “With the performance of the National Hospital, Abuja, in mind, who needs a soothsayer to tell us that a stand-alone government hospital in Nigeria, no matter how modern and well-equipped, is just a waste of resources.
“We should gauge the potential success of the hospital from the quantity and quality of equipment, personnel and services at the State-owned university teaching hospital, ESUTH. ESUTH isn’t exactly a John Hopkins University Teaching Hospital. So, why not make the ‘Enugu International Hospital’ ESUTH’S version of John Hopkins University Teaching Hospital? It will make more sense that way?”
Mbah driven by filial sentiments?
Although Governor Peter Mbah has so far demonstrated an appreciable level of altruism and impartiality in the execution of projects in Enugu State, there are fears that his decision to complete the ‘International Hospital’ as originally conceived may have been influenced by a desire to save a brother’s face. Mbah, a relative of former Governor Nnamani, was his finance Commissioner.
This may also explain the frenetic pace at which work is going on at the International Conference Centre, another of former Governor Nnamani’s bogus projects, also abandoned by Chime and Ugwuanyi.
“The two projects are show-stoppers in terms of designs, but in terms of their utilitarian values, they will add only very little to Enugu even on completion. You should ask yourself, how many local, not to talk of international, conferences have been held in Enugu since the days of Chimaroke?” quipped an unimpressed Enugu-based public affairs commentator.
“It’s a South East madness, which Chimaroke started actually. Anambra has one, Abia has one, Ebonyi has one, Hope is building one and now Mbah is trying to complete the one started by Chimaroke. What international conferences, literary or science, have ever been held in these places ruled by these anti-intellectual wonks of leaders in the South East?”
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