Panel indicts Oshiomhole over Edo Specialist Hospital

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Edo State Government to look into the construction of the Edo Specialist Hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital, on Thursday indicted the administration of the former Governor Adams Oshiomhole for breach of the state’s Public Procurement Law.

Justice James Oyomire (retd), who chaired the Commission, while presenting the its findings to Governor Godwin Obaseki, at Government House, Benin City, said the award of the contract for the construction of the hospital was fraught with breaches of the state’s procurement laws.

According to Justice Oyomire, the procurement law clearly stated that any contractor working on a government project should not receive more than 25 per cent upfront payment upon contract award, which Oshiomhole’s administration contravened.

Justice Oyomire said: “The immediate past administration paid 75 per cent of the contract sum upfront for the project to Vamed Engineering.”

Justice Oyomire further pointed out that part of the commission’s eight-point recommendation included that the institution of both criminal and civil actions by the state’s Ministry of Justice against those found culpable in the breach of the law.

He further explained that the recommendations also included the strengthening of the state’s public procurement agency and ensuring strict adherence to the provision of the agency’s law on award of contract.

The governor, in his response, vowed that anyone found culpable, no matter how highly-placed, would be called to account for their action.

Noting that the past eight weeks had been very revealing with the outbreak of the coronavirus, he said it had given him the opportunity to have a first-hand encounter and knowledge of the state’s healthcare sector.