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COVID-19: We spent N118 million to support UCH, distinction claims artificial – Oyo government
The Oyo State government on Wednesday declared that “it is standing by its position that it has supported the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan to the tune of N118 million in the fight against COVID-19.
Records made available by the Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinola Ojo, confirmed that the state government has provided support to the UCH and the Department of Virology located inside the College to the tune of the said sum.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, made available to CAPITAL POST in Abuja, quoted the Commissioner for Finance as further giving a breakdown of the expenditure, indicating that the sum of N118 million was expended in meeting the varied needs of the Department of Virology, College of Medicine and the University College Hospital.
The statement further indicated that attempts by the management of the UCH to disown the Department of Virology, which serves as the teaching and research department in the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan as well as provides Clinical Services to the UCH, is self-serving, artificial and contemptuous.
It will be recalled that the state’s Commissioner for Finance had, on Tuesday, given a breakdown of the state’s expenses on the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring that the state has provided support to the UCH, to the tune of N118 million.
The UCH, however, in a press statement on Wednesday denied receiving the said support.
“The state government is of the view that attempts to create thin lines between the Department of Virology, College of Medicine, which provides Clinical Services to the UCH and operates from the same premises as the Hospital, amount to being clever by half, because in practical terms, the divorce cannot just hold.
“Staffers of the Department hold identity cards of the UCH and that of the University of Ibadan, even as the Department remains the only one that undertakes Virology-related assignments for the UCH,” the statement read.
The statement quoted the Commissioner as saying that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has provided medical supplies to the UCH, including 500 each of googles, protective gowns and face shields; 250 each of full protective, head covers & shoe covers; 200 hand gloves to UCH, amounting to N2 million.
It further stated that the state government has also provided a revolving fund to the tune of N5 million to the UCH for treatment of residents of Oyo State who tested positive to COVID-19. The amount is being topped each time the hospital spends up to N4 million on the patients.
Besides, the Commissioner revealed that based on a shopping list specifically prepared and presented to the state government by the Chief Medical Director of the UCH, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, the state government has procured medical supplies to the tune of N25 million for delivery to the Hospital.
“That the supplier is just about to deliver the said items is an evidence of the protocols related to movement schedules of all items within the environment of a global pandemic,” the statement further read.
The statement noted that these supplies included goggles, PPE gowns, boots and so on, stating that in all, the total amount spent in directly supporting the UCH (based on the artificial distinction) so far stood at N32 million, while the balance of N86 million constituted what has been spent to support the Department of Virology, which is the direct partner with the state on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government maintained some of the supports provided to the Virology Department, which also handles the Clinical Services of the UCH, includes purchase of PPEs, SARSCoV-2 testing kits, extraction kits for Covid-19, wet lease of the testing machine for Covid-19, medical supplies and consumables as well as payment of allowances for the staff of the Virology Department.
“In order to clarify the referenced N118 million support, it is important to first of all state that we were made aware of a distinction between the University College Hospital (UCH) and the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
“Oyo State Government has provided support to both institutions during this COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement read.
The statement quoted a leading light in the Department of Virology and a member of the Oyo State Task Force on COVID-19, Professor David Olaleye and the Head of the Department of Virology, Professor Georgina Njideka Odaibo, as declaring that the state government’s support in the fight against COVID-19 has, indeed, been tremendous.
The duo maintained that the Department of Virology, indeed, belonged to the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and that it also carries out clinical services to the UCH, noting that the Department belonged to both institutions.
Professor Olaleye noted that there is no mix-up between the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital, Ibadan, noting that the Department of Virology, which has enjoyed and continued to enjoy the support given by the Oyo State government in the effort to contain COVID-19, serves both institutions in research and clinical capacities.
He said: “I think there is really no mix-up at all. To start with, University College Hospital (UCH) and University of Ibadan are both institutions of the Federal Government. We have two areas of common mandate. One, from the hospital side, is the clinical service and the other is research.
“The university has its primary focus on teaching – manpower development, while the primary focus of the Hospital is that of care. So, the Department of Virology has been receiving the support of the Oyo State government in view of the COVID-19 activities.
The diagnostic work primarily is a department of University of Ibadan and, at the same time, a clinical virology department of the hospital.
“Just like any other department in the hospital here in UCH, you are primarily a teaching and research department of University of Ibadan and, in this case now, College of Medicine, which is like the Faculty on the main campus.
“You know, in the College of Medicine, we have four faculties but we use College to coordinate our activities all in medical and health sciences.
“We have our teaching and research roles as a University and, at the same time, render clinical services to the Hospital.
“So, the Department of Virology, which the government of Oyo State is supporting, is the same department in the college (University of Ibadan) and at the same time, clinical department to the hospital.”
Professor Odaibo similarly said that the true status of the Department of Virology is that it belonged to both the College of Medicine and the UCH, adding that the support from Oyo State regarding the COVID-19 diagnostics and treatment has really helped the department.
“Samples are coming, you don’t have the reagents, especially consumables. NCDC tries to make sure they send down a lot of consumables, but every department, every lab needs to sort out how they get that because the pressure is too much.
“This is not a Nigerian problem, it’s a global problem, and it’s the same people who are producing the same thing for everybody. So, the demand is high, and then you know with the restrictions of travelling and all of that, getting things into the country is also challenging. So, the little that comes in, the NCDC spreads it out. But with the support from Oyo State, we’ve been able to have these consumables that we need to ensure that our work is going on.
“Also, we know the electricity situation in Nigeria. We have the generators out there; but they cannot run without diesel. The support from Oyo State has helped us a lot in terms of providing constant power supply.
“Last week, for a whole week there was no public supply of electricity. From the support we have gotten from the state government, we were able to run those generators so that we are able to do the work.
“So, we’re very grateful to the governor and the state for ensuring that this work goes on, because any break in activity is going to cause a lot of havoc.
“You know we need to test, we need to release the results, so that action can be taken. This is not something that you test today and get the results in two weeks, otherwise the result is not valid, you know people are here dedicated doing the work, but you can have dedicated staff ready to work and if the things are not there for them to work they will not work.
“So, in that area, the Oyo State government has made sure that we have what we need to do the work. But as per our status, we’re both UCH and College of Medicine, there’s no gainsaying that.”
HaAN OPEN LETTER TO ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR: THE CASE OF GOING TO EQUITY WITHOUT CLEAN HANDS
My attention as a Public Affairs Commentator and Citizen of Wukari in Taraba State has been invited to various invectives of unprecedented dimension directed at His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON by my brother, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar ostensibly to give oxygen to resurrect his endless political odyssey and sordid presidential ambition. I am weighing into this public narrative to interrogate various disruptions triggered by some notable politicians like Atiku Abubakar in our national life.
It is hardly possible to build anything out of frustration and bitterness. This is sadly the predicament of a one-time Vice President, Atiku Abubakar who is on course to being enlisted in the Guinness Book of Records, as the only person globally, who has unsuccessfully contested for President for six times spanning 33 years.
These bitterness and frustration have beclouded his reasoning. Atiku Abubakar, who is shamefully a dominant mention in every page of the corruption history in Nigeria, an insipid and serial sodomist, could have rather used the Ramadan period to seek for the atonement of his many mortal and monumental sins from the Almighty Allah, but his engagement in chicanery and unbridled umbrage in the most malicious and defamatory manner is the sad characterization of a man reputed for low family values and child abuse.
The series of pernicious lies peddled by Atiku deserve response in this era of positive and innovative Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has invited collective actions for the growth and prosperity of Nigeria. Atiku Abubakar’s putrid and repulsive corrupt practices have made Nigerians to reject him for a record six times. A master of failure indeed!
It is an established fact that Atiku Abubakar is the most corrupt Nigerian, having been associated with every high-profile corruption allegation in the country across the private and public sectors. In 1996, the then Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha seized control of the NICOTES shares belonging to him and renamed it Integrated Logistics Services Inc.
In 2006, Atiku was indicted by the EFCC and the Federal Government Administrative Panel of Inquiry after a Special Audit /Forensic Investigation of PTDF from 1999 to May 31, 2006.
Internationally, he is known as a super conman. Atiku’s association with American Congressman William Jefferson, who was jailed for 13 years in 2009 over bribery and other charges is well known to millions of Nigerians.
For those who don’t know, Atiku was the subject of a probe about 15 years ago by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs chaired by Senator Carl Levin. He was indicted for using offshore companies to siphon about 40 million dollars from Nigeria between 2000 and 2008 to his fourth wife in the United States, Jennifer Iwenjiora Douglas Abubakar (now divorced).
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom Atiku served for 8 years as Vice President, in his book ’MY WATCH’, in the chapter, titled “Atiku and US Justice Entanglement”, gave a vivid account of “corrupt involvement” of Atiku with a company called iGATE and William Jefferson. Obasanjo equally linked Atiku to the embezzlement of $20 million, funds that were to be utilized by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), and another $125 million to fund PTDF during 2003 fiscal year.
The immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has also spoken eloquently about Atiku’s corrupt adventure. In his book, ’The Accidental Public Servant’, El-Rufai gave a detailed account of Atiku’s corrupt involvement in Ericsson’s deals, the PTDF scandal, Abuja Water Treatment Plant contract and his obsession with marabouts – these marabouts that have been deceiving him since 1991 that he will be president.
A serial women abuser, Atiku has divorced two of his wives since 1971 (Ladi and Jennifer). In the case of Jennifer, even after the divorce, he threatened and bullied her out of Nigeria. Jennifer had to sell her law chambers in Nigeria and relocated to the UK.
He has been after the woman in an attempt to dispossess her of her assets and properties.
A certified child abuser, Atiku’s exploits with hapless boys and young men are well known. No wonder, in his eight years as vice president and many years as wealthy man (though filthy), Atiku could not boast of a school that could cater for the educational needs of the less privileged, especially boys (Almajiri’s), but now runs the exotic ABTI University and a host of other businesses that are out of the reach of the common man.
In the contrary, unlike Atiku Abubakar, Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON has for over two decades, conducted himself with integrity and transparency. His accomplishments in Akwa Ibom State, in particular, and Nigeria in general, are symbolized in the countless legacies of infrastructure, human capacity development and tourists’ hub.
Just yesterday (Tuesday), the Super Eagles of Nigeria hosted The Warriors of Zimbabwe in a World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo. The stadium, which is the only FIFA approved facility in Nigeria, was built by Akpabio as governor of the state. What did Atiku do for Adamawa state and Nigeria?
The Zimbabwean delegation also flew Ibom Air and landed at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo- all legacies of the Uncommon Transformer. But where are Atiku’s legacies for the people? He can only lay claim to a chain of businesses, which are products of pillaging and corrupt investments.
In all of these, it is crystal clear that Akpabio’s unflinching support for President Tinubu, who blocked Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the APC in 2015 and frustrated his return bid in 2019 and yet floored him in the 2023 general elections is the reason for Atiku’s hostile charge against the Senate President.
But using Akpabio as a ladder to get to the president cannot do Atiku any good. Both Tinubu and Akpabio are united by the resolve to rejig and reset the nation and give Nigerians dividends of democracy, which Atiku as vice president worked tirelessly to undermine for personal aggrandizement.
It is also axiomatic that Atiku has started preparation for the 2027 general elections. As for Akpabio and Tinubu, they are preoccupied with state and governance issues and would not swim with the former vice president in his quest to distract the duo from delivering good governance to Nigerians. When 2027 comes, Nigerians will, for the umpteenth time give, Atiku a black eye and vote the best candidate.
DANJUMA ISAIAH writes from
Wukari in Taraba State
The Honourable Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubaka mini visited the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Mallam Umar Dikko Umaru Radda, at the Government House in Katsina to express condolences following the passing of his beloved mother, Hajiya Safara’u Umar Bare-Bari Radda.
During the visit, Minister Abubakar, on behalf of himself, his family, the Minister of State for Defence H.E. Dr. Bello Matawalle MON and the entire staff of the Ministry of Defence, conveyed heartfelt condolences to Governor Radda, his family, and the people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
In his remarks, he prayed for Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased, grant her mercy, and bestow upon her a place in Jannatul Firdaus. He also offered prayers for the Governor and his family, asking for strength and fortitude to bear this profound loss.
The Minister was accompanied by Hon. Idris Garba Jahun, former Speaker of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, along with Hon. Abubakar Sadiq Jallo and Hon. Mas’ud A. Naruwa, members of the Katsina State House of Assembly representing Hadejia and Babura, respectively.
All political office holders who were appointed by the embattled governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara have been suspended from office by the Sole Administrator of the State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
They were suspended from office with immediate effect, according to a statement by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, saying the decision followed powers granted the Sole Administrator by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff to Fubara were among those suspended from office.
Commissioners, chairpersons and members of boards, agencies, commissions, and parastatals, as well as all Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants were all relieved of their appointments.
“This suspension takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025. The affected officers are to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their MDAs.
“Where there may be no permanent secretary, they are to hand over to the most senior director/head of administration,” the statement read.
Ibas was sworn in as Sole Administrator on Wednesday, March 19, by President Bola Tinubu after the President declared a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The President also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.
Ibas, who is a former Chief of Naval Staff, vowed to maintain law and order in the state.
“If the main issue is that of maintaining law and order in the state, I think for any meaningful activities to take place in Rivers State, that is the utmost task that I have,” he said to State House correspondents after the swearing-in.
He also promised to work together with other stakeholders to ensure that order is restored in the state.
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