Group leads protest to EFCC Office, calls for prosecution of Oshiomhole over Edo Specialist Hospital infractions

A socio-political group, Alliance for Collective Progress (ACP), has called for the prosecution of former Governor of Edo State,  Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over his administration’s breach of the state’s Public Procurement Law in the construction of the Edo Specialist Hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital.

Findings by the Justice James Oyomire (rtd) led-Judicial Commission of Inquiry indicted Comrade Oshiomhole over the circumstances surrounding the award of the contract for the construction of the hospital contrary to the state’s procurement laws.

During a protest at the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the group said Comrade Oshiomhole must be prosecuted for the infractions he ‘superintended’ and for inaugurating the hospital with alleged borrowed equipment.

Leader of the group, Mr. Nehemiah Omogiate, noted, “We are here to register our grievances concerning the multi-billion naira Edo Specialist Hospital, a project that President Muhammadu Buhari was deceived to inaugurate four years ago.”

“We are aware that the panel of inquiry set up by the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki submitted its report and in the report, the former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole’s administration was indicted. Up till now, the EFCC has not done anything about it. So, we are here to ask the EFCC to act now because no one individual should be bigger than the law.”

“The hospital in question was commissioned four years ago without equipment. The former governor mobilised the contractors with 75 percent of the contract sum, which exceeded the 25 percent mobilisation fees for contractors,” Omogiate noted.

The group called on the EFCC to commence full-scale investigation into the alleged financial crimes in the construction and procurement of equipment for the hospital in the interest of justice and accountability.

The Head of Public Affairs, EFCC Benin Zonal Office, Williams Oseghale who received the protesters, advised them to submit a written petition to the EFCC for further action, adding, “I have heard you and I am going to take your massage back to the management. I will advise that you also send us a written petition.”