OSUN State Government has blamed former Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the deplorable condition of most of the Primary Health Care Centres in the state.
The state government accused Oyetola of neglecting the PHCs after recieving a whooping $20 million World Bank grant and claimed to have devoted the same to renovation of the facilities, describing it as a smokescreen and window dressing.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued by the office of the state Commissioner for Health, Mr Jola Akintola in response to an online report by a Non-Governmental Organizations, Trackaon the current state of Obamoro and Ilemowu PHCs in Ola-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner accused Tracka of being biased as it never deemed it fit to balance its report by seeking audience with the affected Ministry.
The commissioner said that the renovation of Obamoro PHC is already proposed in the PHC Rehabilitation and Revitalisation Project and forms part of the remaining PHCs to be renovated, adding that renovation works on the remaining centres should have been completed by now, or at least be at near-completion stage.
The government said the withheld Local Government allocation by the federal government from February 2025 till date was a major factor responsible for the delayed completion.
A copy of the statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER reads partly: “Within a period of three years of assumption of office, the state Governor constituted the Osun Primary Health Care Renovation Project Committee under the chairmanship of the Commissioner for Health – Hon. Jola Moses Akintola, while the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. AdekunleAkindele, serves as the Project Coordinator.
“The Committee was given the mandate to embark on a critical appraisal of Primary Health Ccare facilities throughout the state. Consequent upon the submission of report, Governor Ademola Adeleke gave express approval for the renovation of 332 main/high volume PHCs (called Focal Centres) all through the 332 wards in Osun State.
“The renovation work was phased accordingly, beginning with 200 PHCs for which funds were released and had been successfully renovated to world-class standard.
“For the sake of clarity, it is worthy of mention that the said renovation was not limited to building blocks and concrete floors but sufficiently covered provision of 24 hours Solar Energy and Water Supply to these facilities.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the pictures of the deplorable states of these facilities as inherited by the present administration from the 12 years of previous APC-led governments in Osun State were taken before commencement of renovation works and also upon completion. It is both verifiable and uncontestable that the renovation of already completed over 200 PHCs was done in compliance with globally accepted practices and standards.
“The State Ministry of Health shall be willing to provide both physical and documented evidence to Tracka, the media, and/or any member of the public at the shortest notice. In the words of Uthman Dan Fodio – “Conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it.”
It further added, “Before delving into the Governor’s action plan for completion of the remaining PHCS, it is pertinent to state that when this current administration came on board, hardly could anyone identify a single functional PHC in the State.
“Virtually all the PHCs on ground were in deplorable state, quite unfit for habitation by animals, let alone human beings. Therefore, the reported (and likely exaggerated) states of Obamoro and Ilemowu facilities, as presented in the said online report, could best be described as tip of the iceberg of the decay we met on ground and which this government remains unwavering in cleaning the mess. This completed and ongoing clean-up are phased since limited state resources are being deployed and appropriated to other attention deserving sectors – works, education, agriculture, etc.
“Ironically, the last administration in Osun State, which was headed by Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, recieved a whooping World Bank Grant to the tune of 20 million dollars and claimed to have devoted the same to renovation of PHCs, something that could best be described as smokescreen or mere window dressing.
“With respect to the case study in the report, specifically Obamoro PHC in Ola Oluwa Local Government Area, the renovation is already proposed in the PHC Rehabilitation and Revitalization Project and forms part of the remaining PHCs to be renovated. It is equally important to inform the general public that renovation works on the remaining Centres should have been completed by now, or at the least be at near-completion stage, unfortunately, the unjustifiable withholding of Local Government Allocation due to the 30 Local Governments since February 2025 till date is largely responsible for the delayed completion.”
Efforts to get the reaction of Dr. Bolaji Akinola, Special Adviser to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, proved abortive as at press time.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
