By Alltimepost.com
Edo State Government has terminated an agreement to train medical students of the Igbinedion University, Okada, at its specialist hospitals over alleged unpaid debts totaling N350 million.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, at a press briefing yesterday said the University had not paid anything to the Government since the agreement was signed on September 1, 2006.
“In view of the failure of the management of Igbinedion University to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered into with the State Government, Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has approved the termination of same with immediate effect,” the commissioner said.
The MOU in question was entered into on September 1, 2006 under the Lucky Igbinedion administration to enable the Igbinedion University enjoy the use of the state-owned Central Hospital Benin and Stella Obasanjo Hospital for the practicals of its medical students.
It was part of the conditions precedent demanded by the Nigerian University Commission (NUC) and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to grant the Igbinedion University accreditation to train medical students in the clinical specialties.
Part of the terms of the said MOU was that the Igbinedion University would pay a token as concessionary levy annually to the Edo State Government for the use of the Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital for which medical students pay commercial fees to the academic institution.
However, the Commissioner recalled, upon his assumption of office in 2008, Comrade Oshiomhole discovered that not only had the terms of MOU been mostly dishonored despite being too generous to the university, but no kobo had been paid to the Edo State Government over the years.
“Interestingly, whereas the MOU in question enabled the Igbinedion University exclusive use of the facilities at the state-owned Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital together with our highly skilled personnel/specialists paid by Edo taxpayers, the state-owned Ambrose Alli University was denied accreditation for medical course by NUC and MDCN for lack of a teaching hospital.
In the circumstance, Ambrose Alli University practically became an orphan who had to depend on the generosity of first University of Benin Teaching Hospital, then University of Jos Teaching Hospital and finally the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital for the sustenance of its own medical course,”
“Consistent with his avowed commitment to the principle of probity, accountability and transparency, Comrade Oshiomhole in 2013 directed the State Ministry of Health to invite the management of Igbinedion University to settle the outstanding liabilities as well as convey to the university management a notification for an upward review of the annual fee to reflect current economic realities,” Mr. Odion said.
According to him, by government’s calculations, the liabilities of Igbinedion University to the Edo State Government stood at N350m as at 2013 at N50m per annum, adding that it was duly conveyed to the university in writing.
However, he continued, the university wrote back and offered to pay “a ridiculous N50, 000” per month for use of the facilities and highly skilled personnel/consultants at Benin Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital.
He regretted that, concerted efforts made ever since by the State Government to make the management of Igbinedion University to pay the debt that had accumulated over the years and also agree to an upward review of the annual charge proved abortive.
“In the circumstance, the government is left with no other option than terminate the MOU in public interest.
The Ministry of Health has equally been directed to inform the Nigerian University Commission and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria that the Benin Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo Hospital will no longer be made available for the use of the medical students of Igbinedion University.”
The revocation is coming at a time when relationship between Igbinedion and Oshiomhole has taken a nose dive in recent years, which Igbinedion’s visit to the governor before his birthday last year was thought to have repaired.
A few days ago, the State Government accused ITV, a news organization owned by Chief Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion who is also the Proprietor of Igbinedion University of allegedly running a fabricated story to the effect that Oshiomhole Aides had beaten up or manhandled a catholic priest in Ujogba in Edo State.
The government described the report as not only callous, malicious and wicked, but clearly a portrayal of ITV and its proprietor as the devil’s advocates who churn out falsehood to denigrate the Oshiomhole administration.
it also said it was politically motivated and consequently demanded a retraction and an apology from the channel which has not been forthcoming.
In the press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria, the government had this, among others to say:
“We watched with great shock the concocted news that was reported by Independent Television (ITV) owned by a PDP chieftain, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion stating that the Governor’s aides beat up a Reverend Father at Ujogba.
The said report is not only callous, malicious and wicked, but clearly portrays ITV and its proprietor as the devil’s advocates who churn out falsehood to denigrate the Oshiomhole administration.
While we state that the Governor was never at Ujogba as reported by the TV station, the Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is known to be proudly Catholic and has boasted about his faith at many fora.
The State Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Pius Odubu is also a practicing Catholic as well as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Uyi Igbe.
It is a fact that the Governor enjoys a robust relationship with the Catholic Church more so as a baptized practicing Catholic. He is also in good standing with the Archbishop, Priests and Laity of Benin City Archdiocese, Auchi Diocese and Uromi Diocese.
The Governor as the father of everybody in the state would never encourage anyone to beat up anybody, let alone directing that a Priest of God, from whom he receives the Holy Communion, be beaten up.
If the purported incident as reported by Independent Television (ITV) were correct, why has the Church which has unfettered access to the Governor not reported the incident?
Alltimepost.com spoke with the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor from the U.S. today with some questions, including why the government was now acting on the breach of agreement by Igbinedion University the same week it accused its sister company, ITV of airing a fabricated story against the governor.
Alltimepost.com also asked if Government’s action this time in this regard did not amount to retaliation.
Mr. Okhiria said the Government had been on the issue of the breach of memorandum of understanding with Igbinedion university for a long time prior to now and that its action the same week that ITV was accused of falsehood against the governor was a mere coincidence.
He said the University authority had consistently failed to honor its obligation to the state and that government’s action was in the interest of the state and its people.
Mr. Okhiria accused ITV of airing false report against the state government without verification with intention to misinform and cause confusion, alleging that it was a pattern of behavior on the part of the media house.
He advised Journalist to always verify their facts before publishing and that government was weighing all options on the kind of action to take should ITV fails to retract the story and tender an apology to the governor.
Meanwhile, all attempts to reach Chief Gabriel Igbinedion who was specifically named in government’s report failed. Alltimepost.com called all his phone numbers, but could not get through.
Also, as at press time, Alltimepost.com could not reach the management of ITV and Igbinedion University for comments.
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