Kunle Adelabu
For about thirteen years, the construction of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Igbogbo has been abandoned and there seems to be no effort to complete it.
Many stakeholders and residents that spoke with THE IMPACT were of the view that the facility would have been a good addition to what they now have on ground in Igbogbo and reduce pressure on the General Hospital in Ikorodu.
The medical facility, THE IMPACT gathered, was facilitated by Senator (Otunba) Adeseye Ogunlewe, former Minister of Works and a former Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC), during his ministerial tenure.
But other sources said that it was a Senatorial Constituency project facilitated by the two – term Senator that represented Lagos East between 2003 – 2011 and former Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Sen. Olorunimbe Mamora.
It was further gathered that Sen. Ogunlewe, being an indigene of lkorodu division and the Minister in – charge of Works, used his influence to ensure that Senator Mamora bring the facility to Igbogbo.
However, several attempts to reach Sen. Ogunlewe on his mobile phone and through SMS for his own reaction proved abortive.
THE IMPACT gathered that the foundation of the FMC was laid around 2006/2007 when Alhaji (Prince) Hon. Jimoh Ogunmuyiwa was the Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
It was gathered that while the construction of the project was going on, necessary drugs and equipment meant for the facility were also supplied and placed in the care of the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA.
THE IMPACT also gathered that attempts by Igbogbo community to make representatives of the lkorodu division at the National Assembly revisit the abandoned Federal government project since proved abortive.
Also, a committee, led by the Odofin of Igbogbo, High Chief Tajudeen Onasanya and former Senior Assistant to Sen Ogunlewe as Federal Minister of Works, Alhaji Yahya Andu, setup by the Igbogbo community to oversee the project when it was conceived, tried frantically to ensure that the project see the light of the day but its efforts were to no avail.
The committee, according to report, later turned to the state government to take over the medical facility but there has not been any response yet from the state government.
The Odofin Igbogbo, High Chief Tajudeen Duduyemi Onasanya, speaking with THE IMPACT on the matter, said that they made overture to the state to take over the project on the ground that the police station in Igbogbo, another abandoned federal government project, was taken over by the state.
Meanwhile, the traditional institution, stakeholders and residents of Igbogbo have appealed to Senator Adetokubo Abiru, the Senator representing the Lagos East and Hon. Babajimi Benson, the lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, to ensure that the FMC does not remain abandoned when they will be completing the present Legislative Session.
His Royal Majesty Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, speaking with our reporter on the abandoned medical centre, said that it would be a great relief for lgbogbo and his people if the representatives of the lkorodu division at the National Assembly can facilitate its completion.
Oba Kasali, who also informed THE IMPACT that he has spoken with the Permanent Secretary on Primary Health in the State, on the need to take over the facility and put it into good use for the people.
“I spoke with the Permanent Secretary on Primary Health at the inauguration of the new Permanent Secretaries in the state recently and he promised to look into it.
“He even suggested that the place can be turned into a Comprehensive Health Centre”, Oba Kasali said.
The royal father, also informed our reporter that he is in discussion with the Commissioner of Police on the abandoned Police Station built beside the FMC, also added that he has been calling on major stakeholders in Igbogbo to see to how the police station can be rebuild and made to serve its purpose.
High Chief Tajudeen Onasaya, while speaking with our reporter, said that he and Alhaji Andu were earlier saddled with the responsibilities of monitoring the construction of the project.
He added that they did everything humanly possible to ensure that the FMC was completed after it was abandoned.
“Myself and Alhaji Andu were put in charge as the community representatives and from all indications, the Federal Government was ready to complete the project in good time because equipment and drugs that were to be used after completion were supplied and put in the care of the Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA while the project was ongoing”, Odofin said.
“After the project was abandoned and several attempts to make FG completed it yielded no result. We wrote to the Lagos State Government to take over the facility for completion and several follow ups were done but they are yet to communicate back to us till date”.
He, however, charged representatives of the division at the National Assembly to intervene and see to it that Federal Government complete the project.
“It will be a great thing if Sen. Tokunbo Abiru and Hon. Babajimi Benson who are representing us in the Senate and House of Representatives respectively intervene and see to it that they use their power in making the Federal Government complete the project for the use of our people”, he appealed.
The first Executive Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Alhaji (Prince) Hon. Jimoh Ogunmuyiwa, also speaking with THE IMPACT on the matter, said that the project was brought to Igbogbo during his administration and confirmed that drugs and equipment for the FMC were also supplied.
“Yes, it was during my administration that the project was facilitated by Sen. Ogunleye and I was at the foundation laying ceremony around 2006 as the Chairman of the Council”, he said.
“Drugs and equipment that were meant for the centre were placed in care of career civil servants”.
Responding to the request by residents that the duo of Senator Abiru and Hon. Benson should use their federal influence to ensure that the project is completed, Hon. Ogunmuiyiwa said:
“That would be great because the project which ought to serve our people, had been abandoned without any reason. But now, we have our person from Ikorodu as the Senator representing Lagos East in person of Sen. Abiru and another in the House of Representatives, Hon. Benson, they should assist in facilitating the completion of the project”, he also appealed.
“In addition, Sen. Mamora, who was the one representing Lagos East when the project was facilitated, is also a medical doctor and now the Minister of Health (State) and a chieftain of our party. They should work together in seeing that the project is completed”.
Mr Ahmed Aroyewun, the Vice President/Director of Project, De – Vanguard, a development and political platform in Igbogbo, also speaking on the abandoned FMC, said that its completion would reduce pressure on the General Hospital in Ikorodu.
He also called on the representatives of the Lagos East and Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the National Assembly to intervene.
“The pressure on the general hospital is much. It’s very important that the abandoned Federal Medical Centre is resuscitated to ease the pain and stress our people are going through in accessing health care.
“If completed, it will serve a lot of communities around us in Igbogbo.
“I call on our leaders and stakeholders to intervene. Good enough, the Minister of State for Health is from Lagos East. His attention should be called to it for speedy completion, though our own ‘James Bond’, Hon. Jimi Benson, has promised to do something about it but he has multitude of projects in his hands now across the division, I am sure he will do something because he is a man of his words”, Aroyewun said.
The President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, in his own reaction, said that the joy expressed by the residents of lgbogbo when the project was brought, has turned sour because many still don’t have access to adequate medical care.
“Over the years, we’ve been living in anguish because there are no adequate medical facilities within the community and we have only been living at the mercy of the Ikorodu General Hospital which the fast growing population has overwhelmed.
“The General hospital in Ikorodu was built for the limited size of the division then, by the administration of late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
“It was a great joy for the residents of Igbogbo community and environs when the Federal Medical Center was sited in the community, facilitated by Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe (much honour to him) . At that time, all and sundry believed that something great was coming their way.
“Indeed, the dream actually came to reality when the laying of the foundation stone was done in the year 2006. The then Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, late Oba Johnson Olatunji Fatola, JP, and the entire Adeboruwa in-Council among others were flooded with euphoria as they witnessed the event with high expectations.
“But no sooner than later, the project reached 90% completion, with all the equipment readily available in the custody of the LCDA. But as we speak, no one can ascertain the whereabouts of the equipment”.
The IYC President, like other stakeholders, called the attention of Sen. Tokunbo Abiru and Hon. Babajimi Benson to the abandoned project and charged them to ensure that it is completed for the use of the residents in Igbogbo.
“Sequel to this abandoned facility, we, at Igbogbo Youth Coalition, deemed it fit to draw your attention to it (Senator Tokunbo Abiru and Hon. Jimi Benson), as the Senator of the Federal republic of Nigeria and member of House of Representatives in the National Assembly respectively. It should not go down the drain”, he pleaded.
“We are, thus, urging you to adopt this project for a glorious completion to solve major medical challenges, not just in Igbogbo, but Ikorodu Division as a whole.
“Your landmark achievements can’t be undermined. We believe in your leadership style in steering the political affairs of the division and the state at large. The trust reposed in you won’t be abated by any human error”.
Speaking with Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, he said that the FMC is on his agenda and will be factor into next year’s budget.
“Of course, the abandoned project is on my agenda. But you know that we are doing many projects now and it will be impossible to do that now.
“I plan to ensure that it is taken care of in the next year’s budget”, he pledged.
