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| Senator Buruji Kashamu |
The Ogun State Government on Tuesday
demolished a Primary Health Centre at Obada in Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local
Government Area of the state.
The health facility was said to have been undergoing
renovation without approval by the senator representing Ogun East Senatorial
District, Senator Buruji Kashamu, which necessitated its being pulled down by
the agents of the state government.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and
the chairman, Ijebu North,Mr. Adebayo Adekoya witnessed the demolition
exercise.
According to the state government which spoke
through Adekoya, the lawmaker goofed by not seeking approval from
either the state or the local governments before embarking on
the project.
The governor alleged that the contractor working on the
site, chased out staff and patients from the hospital, in addition to throwing
out medical equipment and putting them by the roadside.
He said, "About
two weeks ago, there was a signboard that was erected around the health centre
and it was reported to me and I said, no problem if anyone wants to put up any
building they will inform us.
"But to our
surprise on Friday, immediately after the closing hours, they started
pulling down the health Centre without notification.
"When they
reported to me I was not around thinking that letter for approval might bé on
the way but I never saw any notice or letter, only to discover that they had
already began reconstruction on the facility.
"There is no harm
in doing a constituency project ?but the structure in question is under my
juridiction (Obada health centre)"
Adekoya, however,
denied the claim that the facility was abandoned necessitating its renovation.
But, in his
reaction, the Senator through his Media Adviser ,Austin Oniyokor said
"we received with rude shock the news of the demolition of a Primary
Healthcare Centre in Ijebu Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun
State under the direct supervision of the Ogun State Commissioner for Health,
Dr. Babatunde Ipaye and the local government Chairman, Mr. Bayo Adekoya.
"Information at
our disposal revealed that Ipaye and Adekoya led some thugs and Mobile
policemen to the facility, which is being renovated and refurbished by the
Senator representing Ogun East Senator District as part of his constituency
projects, and ordered them to demolish it because they were allegedly not
“carried along”.
"We condemn this
act in its entirety because we think that the APC-led state and local
government officials should have put the interest of the people beyond and
above any other consideration. We did not encroach on the property or vandalise
anything as being erroneously spread by agents of the APC-led government. We
strongly believe that governance is more about the welfare of the people and
not procedures and interests, be it political or otherwise.
"Even if they
said they already had plans to fix the facility, why pull it down because of
some flimsy excuses? One would have expected them to either encourage anyone
who takes the initiative to fix it or at least compete with him by building
another and better facility and not to pull down the one being built, all in
the name of politics. At the end of the day, it is the people that will bear
the brunt of this executive lawlessness.
"While sympathise
with the APC-led State and local governments and empathise with the people of
Ijebu Igbo and its environs, we will not be deterred in our resolve to
continually improve on the condition of the people", he said .
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