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The Rivers State Executive Council has approved N74.9bn for the reconstruction of the state House of Assembly auditorium, construction of Kalaibiama/Epellema Road, and completion of four zonal hospitals across the state.
Recall that the state House of Assembly was bombed in the wake of the political crisis in the state following the disagreement between the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
Also approved by the state executive council was the renovation of Bonny General Hospital; the renovation and upgrade of Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Rumuigbo; as well as the construction of a new General Hospital at Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukwudi, on Friday.
While the reconstruction of the demolished assembly auditorium in Port Harcourt, the state capital will cost N19, 566, 621, 284.24; the Kalaibiama-Epellema Road and bridge in Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area will gulp N29,035,907,233.76; just as the hospitals will cost N26,350,310, 714.88.
The zonal hospitals are located in Ahoada Town in Ahoada Local Government; Degema Town in Degema Local Government; Omoku Town in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government; and Bori Town in Khana Local Government Area.
The state government said that it decided to complete the construction of the zonal hospitals in four local government areas of the state to strengthen secondary-level healthcare delivery.
At its meeting presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and attended by Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu, and other council members at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday, approval was also given for the cancellation of all previous contracts awarded for the construction of those zonal hospitals.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, said the approval was sequel to the memos presented by the Ministry of Health to the State Executive Council.
She said, “We are thankful to the Rivers State Executive Council that the various decisions sought and prayers that were made by the Rivers State Ministry of Health for the approval of the termination of the contracts for the completion of the zonal hospitals at Ahoada, Bori, Degema and Omoku, and the re-award of fresh contracts for their completion were approved.
“That the request to the State Executive Council for the approval of the award of these contracts in total summed up to N26, 350, 310, 714. 88k that was approved for the completion of those zonal hospitals, the renovation of Bonny General Hospital and the upgrade of the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital.
“This also included the construction of a new General Hospital at Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which were not among those initially awarded for renovation.”
She explained that the State Executive Council also approved that following the termination of the previously awarded contracts, fresh contracts should be awarded to new competent contractors who have such capacity to deliver on those projects.
She emphasised that such contractors would also be mobilized to the site so that they could commence construction work on those separate projects in the health sector to advance healthcare delivery in the State."
